


the time that is given us

by Spikedluv



Category: Primeval
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Mention of previous canon partner-betrayal, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 17:54:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 34,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20246911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spikedluv/pseuds/Spikedluv
Summary: When Nick steps through an anomaly to a time where Stephen is still alive he can’t believe his luck.  Nick never wants to leave, but to have a meaningful life there he needs to gain the trust of the people this time’s original!Nick betrayed.





	1. A Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Art for "the time that is given us"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20315572) by [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake). 

> Takes place some indeterminate time during s1-2 (in this time).
> 
> This story was completed for [WIPBB on LJ](https://wipbigbang.livejournal.com/). I’m also using this to fill the Free Space square on my card for Round 13 of [Trope Bingo on DW](http://trope_bingo.dreamwidth.org) using the prompt _Role Reversal_, which this fic was originally written for.
> 
> Title from a Gandalf quote from ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ by J.R.R. Tolkien.
> 
> Huge thanks to afteriwake for creating this amazing cover and the wallpaper in the end notes. She was very pleasant to work with and I’m grateful that she took on a story for a fandom she wasn’t familiar with to make sure I got art. Please check out her art post [HERE](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20315572) and give her all the love.
> 
> Posted: August 14, 2019
> 
> _All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us._ ~Gandalf, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
> 
> [](https://imgur.com/fFaEJuP)  
  


Nick Cutter knew immediately upon stepping through the anomaly that he was in the wrong time or place. “Stephen?” he said, taking a stumbling step towards the man he’d last seen moments before he’d been torn apart by a group of future predators that Helen Cutter and Oliver Leek had brought through the anomalies.

“Nick?” Stephen Hart said, sounding just as surprised to see him.

“You’re alive,” Nick breathed. So many times since that day Nick had wished that he could go back in time and fix things, and perhaps that’s what had happened. If Stephen was still alive, then Nick might have a chance to change how things had turned out between them.

Stephen frowned, but then Nick’s view of him was cut off when he was surrounded by Special Forces soldiers pointing their weapons at him. Nick raised his hands and didn’t protest when he was searched, his SIG-Sauer, wallet, and pack taken from him. The soldier handed them off to another soldier he called ‘Captain Becker’.

Becker looked at Nick, then down at the items he held in his hands, and then he turned and walked away. None of the other soldiers took their eyes or their weapons off him. “Can I at least put my hands down?” Nick said.

The soldier who had searched him indicated that he could. Nick rubbed his hands together; they suddenly felt cold. He called out, “Stephen?”

Stephen moved around the arrayed soldiers until Nick could see him past them. “I’m right here, Nick,” he said, but he made no move to come any closer.

There was protocol for this sort of thing, Nick knew that, he’d been part of the team _creating_ it, but it still killed him to be so close to Stephen, and yet so far. Nick contented himself for the moment with just looking at Stephen. Seeing at him whole and alive.

Captain Becker returned and said, “If you’ll please come with me, Mr. Cutter. I’ve been asked to bring you in.”

“Of course,” Nick said. There wasn’t much else _to_ be said with a dozen Hechler and Koch rifles pointed at him.

Nick was led to one of the Special Forces vans and put in the back. Stephen moved to follow, but Captain Becker put out a hand to stop him. The soldier said something that made Stephen grind his teeth and glance at Nick. Stephen nodded in agreement, but Nick could tell that he wasn’t happy with the situation.

The fact that he knew that, that he could still look at Stephen and read his expressions so easily, that he could look upon Stephen at _all_, made Nick’s chest ache. Behind Stephen, Nick noticed Abby Maitland and Connor Temple for the first time. Both were looking at him as if they’d seen a ghost. Nick knew exactly what that felt like. Abby gave Nick a tremulous smile, but Connor wasn’t nearly as restrained – he grinned and waved.

Nick, feeling lighthearted despite the fact that he was clearly in the wrong time – or place; it was really hard to keep them straight – smiled and waved back. Connor’s grin widened and he elbowed Abby, who elbowed him back, but couldn’t help grinning herself.

Captain Becker turned away from Stephen to climb into the back of the van with Nick. There were two soldiers in the back, and probably two up front; the rest being left behind to guard the anomaly. Nick thought he should be worried that his appearance warranted an armed escort back to the ARC, or that their Captain chose to ride with him instead of remaining at the site of the anomaly, but he wasn’t. All he could think was, Stephen is alive!

Stephen stood watching Nick until the doors began to close, and then he whirled and gestured to Abby and Connor, who leapt into action. The doors were secured and Stephen was blocked from view, but Nick couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. Captain Becker was watching him, but he didn’t speak.

During the drive to London, Nick had time to contemplate just what it meant that Stephen was alive – the time line had been altered again. Something he’d done, or something Helen had done. Or perhaps this is where the ‘space’ part of the anomalies came into play and he’d somehow ended up in another dimension, his own continuing on without its Stephen Hart _or_ Nick Cutter.

Stephen being alive here was a miracle, but Nick didn’t know what other changes he might discover. Nick didn’t recognize Captain Becker, but he’d stopped paying attention to the Special Forces soldiers assigned to the ARC after they’d lost Captain Ryan. Nick could tell that they’d reached London when the van was forced to slow and to stop several times.

Captain Becker didn’t move even when the van came to a full stop and the engine cut off, but Nick felt a frisson of anticipation. He slid to the edge of his seat. Neither soldier reacted to the movement, but both kept their eyes on Nick and their hands loose on their rifles. When the doors were opened, Nick stepped out into a lower level of the ARC. He was led past soldiers guarding every door leading into the ARC and through hallways painted a bleak industrial gray.

Nick’s first stop was the infirmary where blood was drawn and he was subjected to various scans, all with Captain Becker standing nearby and the second soldier standing guard at the door. No one spoke to him outside of telling him not to move, and some even gave him hard looks.

Nick was glad to be escorted out of the infirmary until he was deposited in what could only be an interrogation room and left alone. Nick didn’t hear the lock being engaged when the door was closed, but he had no doubt that his military escort was stationed outside the door to make sure he stayed put. Nick sat in the hard chair at the table and looked into what he supposed was two-way glass. Nick suspected that Lester had been informed of his arrival the moment he’d stepped through the Anomaly and was now waiting behind that glass.

“My name is Nick Cutter,” Nick said. “I work for the Anomaly Research Centre researching and predicting anomalies. I’m also bloody hungry,” he added.

A few moments later the door was opened and Lester strode in, hands clasped behind his back. Despite his comments to the mirrored glass, Nick was surprised that they hadn’t left him to stew a while longer. Captain Becker followed Lester into the room and stood guard at the door. Lester moved behind Nick, and then kept walking around the table until he stood facing Nick. He didn’t speak, just studied Nick. Normally Nick would’ve let the silence grow to an uncomfortable level just to be contrary, but he had too many questions to play that game.

“There are a lot more soldiers here than I remember,” Nick said. “Not to mention . . . .” He set his hands on the table. “. . . an interrogation room.”

Nick was taken aback when Lester actually responded. He looked around the unwelcoming room and said, “We’ve had to make a few changes.” Lester looked directly at Nick now. “Someone tried to steal some of the artifacts we’ve been studying here.”

“Helen?” Nick guessed.

“You, actually,” Lester said.

“I . . . . What?” Nick said. “Why would I do that?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?”

Nick opened his mouth to issue another protest, but Lester forestalled him. “I think it’s my turn to ask some questions, don’t you?”

Nick fell back in his chair and gestured for Lester to go ahead. Lester raised his eyebrow mockingly at Nick’s magnanimous gesture.

“What changes have you noticed since you’ve been here. Besides . . . .” Lester gestured at the room. “. . . this.”

“Stephen’s alive,” Nick said immediately.

Lester didn’t look shocked at that pronouncement, so someone must have already informed him of Nick’s reaction to seeing Stephen.

“I don’t recognize Captain Becker,” Nick said, “but that doesn’t mean much. After Captain Ryan was killed by the future predator, the Special Forces solders were rotated quite frequently and, honestly, I didn’t get too attached. No offense,” he said to Becker.

“None taken,” Becker said dryly.

“Is that all?” Lester said.

“From what little I’ve seen,” Nick said. “I have spent most of my time here in the back of a van, or in the infirmary or this room. Connor and Abby are still on the team, and you’re still in charge, apparently.”

“I’m not, actually,” Lester said. “I still oversee ARC operations, along with several other projects, but I’m no longer directly in charge of the day-to-day details.”

Nick couldn’t hide how deeply that statement had stunned him. “Who is in charge, then?”

Lester didn’t move, but as if a signal had been given, the door opened once more. Nick’s eyes went wide when he saw who was being admitted.

“Claudia Brown!”

“Hello, Nick,” Claudia said coldly. She dropped Nick’s wallet on the table, open to the photo of Helen he still carried inside it. “Tell us where Helen is.”

~*~

The next time the door opened, Nick was nearly at the end of his rope. He’d been rigorously questioned for hours about how he’d arrived there, whether he knew where Helen was, events in his own time line . . . . The one good thing was that everyone knew he was from another time; no one looked at him as if he was crazy when he talked about Stephen still being alive. The bad thing was that they didn’t seem to trust him.

Nick turned to the door, ready to give whoever entered a piece of his mind, but the words dried up in his mouth when he saw that it was Stephen, and that he held a tray of food from the cafeteria in front of him. “Someone said you were hungry.”

They’d provided him with water, but he hadn’t been given anything to eat since he’d been brought in. “I was hungry hours ago,” Nick said, his mouth watering at the smell of fried food. “Now I’m ravenous. Bless you, Stephen,” he said when Stephen set the tray onto the table in front of him.

Stephen slid into the chair across from him. “I hope it’s still warm. They scanned the heck out of it before letting me bring it in.”

“Afraid you baked a nail file into my fish?” Nick said around a mouthful of chips.

Stephen shrugged.

Nick ate like a starving man. It wasn’t until he slowed down that he realized how intently Stephen was staring at him, studying him. “It’s really me, Stephen.”

Stephen ducked his head.

“Can you tell me anything?”

“Like what?”

“Claudia Brown and Lester were full of questions, but very little information. They said I, well, not _me_, but your version of me, tried to steal an artifact.”

“Yes,” Stephen said.

“Why would I do that?” Nick said.

“Because you were helping Helen,” Stephen said. The words were spoken casually, but Nick didn’t miss the tightness around Stephen’s eyes.

“What?” Nick’s appetite disappeared. He pushed the tray holding the remains of his meal away from him. “Why would I help Helen?” he demanded.

“She got inside your head,” Stephen said. “It’s what she does. Somehow she convinced you that she was doing the right thing.”

Nick shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t . . . I didn’t!”

“I know,” Stephen said. “I heard some of what you told Claudia and Lester. So you understand the sense of betrayal I felt when I found out that you’d chosen Helen over . . . our mission here.”

_Over me._ Stephen hadn’t said it, but Nick knew that’s what he’d meant, because that was what Nick had felt when their positions had been reversed.

“Did Helen create the menagerie here, too?” Nick asked. “Was she doing time experiments?”

“Yes,” Stephen said.

“Is that where I . . . ?”

“Yes.”

Nick fell silent. He wondered what it meant that in one time line Stephen had died to keep the future predators from getting free and wreaking havoc, and in another it was Nick. That in one time line or another they were both susceptible to Helen’s manipulations. He wondered what had happened differently here that it was him, and not Stephen, who she had exploited.

It struck him. “Did you and Helen . . . ?”

“If you’re asking whether I slept with Helen, then the answer is yes,” Stephen said. “It’s not something I’m proud of, and I’m more than a bit disappointed that I let myself be taken in by her lies a second time in your time line.”

“What lies did she tell you the first time?” Nick said. He’d never allowed Stephen to explain before, but now that distance had lessened his original sense of betrayal, and time had dealt a more permanent hurt, he was willing, even eager, to hear Stephen’s answer.

“The usual.” Stephen’s smile was self-deprecating. “My husband works long hours and we’ve drifted apart, I’m lonely, you’re the only one who understands me. I was young and stupid, and she knew how to make me feel as if I was . . .”

“The center of her universe,” Nick finished.

“Yes,” Stephen said, then went on in what was clearly a change of subject. “Well. If you’re done eating, I’ve been told to show you to a room.”

“I’m being let out of here?” Nick said, surprised.

“For a limited definition of ‘let out’,” Stephen said. “You’ll still be under armed guard, and basically under house arrest for now.”

The ‘for now’ gave Nick a ray of hope. He followed suit when Stephen pushed his chair back and stood. Stephen picked up the wallet Nick had left lying on the table where Claudia had dropped it. He looked at the photo of Helen before handing it back to Nick. “Even after everything she’s done, you still carry her photo in your wallet,” Stephen observed.

Nick didn’t know what to say to that, and so he didn’t say anything, just took the wallet back and slipped it into his pocket.

“I’ve often wondered,” Stephen said. “Why you were able to forgive Helen, but not me.” He didn’t give Nick a chance to answer before he pulled the door open and stepped out into the hallway.

The two Special Forces soldiers guarding the door had been replaced by a new matched set. They waited for Nick to follow Stephen down the hall before falling into step behind him. Stephen led Nick to one of the rooms they used when there was an emergency or they were on call and needed to spend the night at the ARC.

“You should have everything you need,” Stephen said. “If you need anything else, just let one of the men stationed outside your door know.” He started towards the door, then paused. “Also, Connor and Abby would like to see you and Claudia’s approved it. Just send word when you’re ready.”

Stephen spit out the information rapidly and was nearly out the door before Nick realized he was leaving. Nick took a step towards the door, but his way was blocked by one of the soldiers before he could cross the threshold. “Stephen!” Nick called after him, but if Stephen hesitated or looked back, Nick didn’t see it.

Nick stepped back into the room and shut the door. He looked around at the Spartan furnishings, but didn’t really see them. He kept hearing Stephen’s voice in his head.

_I’ve often wondered why you were able to forgive Helen, but not me._

It had never occurred to Nick that Stephen might’ve had some unanswered questions of his own. In one time it was Nick, in another Stephen, but one thing they both had in common was that they’d let Helen come between them, made themselves vulnerable to her machinations. Nick wondered if Helen had separated them because she knew what Nick hadn’t realized at the time – that he and Stephen were stronger together.

Nick wasn’t going to learn anything standing in the middle of the room. He was tired, but more than that he wanted answers. He pulled open the door; the soldier standing across from it didn’t react. “If Connor and Abby are still in the building, tell them I’d like to see them. Fifteen minutes so I have time for a shower, if you please.”

Nick started to close the door, then reconsidered. “Tell them to bring pie. And tea.”

It felt dishonest, but Nick needed information, and Connor was the most likely to inadvertently spill the beans.

~*~*~*~

“Did you get everything you needed out of Connor?” Stephen said dryly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nick said. He looked up from the newspaper he’d been reading over breakfast and looked at Stephen. “Good morning, Stephen.”

“Good morning, Nick,” Stephen said.

“Join me?” He’d been escorted to the cafeteria by two guards, different from any of the four he’d seen the day before. Some people gave him curious looks, while others very pointedly gave him the cold shoulder. It would’ve been more comfortable eating in his room, but Nick wanted information more than he wanted comfort. Still, he wouldn’t say no to company, especially if it was Stephen.

“Let me get a tray,” Stephen said.

Nick watched Stephen walk across the cafeteria, unable to look away, drinking in the sight of him. He didn’t miss the looks others sent Stephen, of pity, commiseration. If he saw any of them, Stephen didn’t acknowledge them, but they pierced Nick to his soul. When Stephen returned, Nick set aside the newspaper he’d ignored since Stephen stopped at his table.

“Find anything?” Stephen said, indicating the paper.

Nick shook his head. “Nothing. Yet.” At first glance there hadn’t been any major changes that he’d been able to identify. Because he didn’t want Stephen to leave, Nick kept their conversation light. Did Stephen still play in an AFC league? Had he still fallen into the Rio Negro on one of their expeditions to the Amazon Basin in Brazil?

Stephen didn’t pretend to not realize that Nick was digging for information, this time of a more personal nature, but he answered Nick’s questions anyway and asked some of his own. Not long after Stephen sat down, they were joined by Connor and Abby.

“Just like old times, isn’t it?” Connor said, earning him a look from Stephen and a sharp jab from Abby. “What?”

After some more light talk (Abby lit up when Nick asked about Rex), Connor said, “I can’t stop thinking. About multiple Helens, from all the different time lines, running around out there, just popping through anomalies.”

“Stop,” Abby said. “You’re going to give me nightmares.”

“Worse than the time that Lesothosaurus threw up all over you before we got it back through the anomaly?”Connor said.

Abby’s face screwed up in a grimace at the memory, but she actually paused to consider the question. “Yes, worse than that,” she decided.

Stephen had finished his breakfast and was leaning back in his seat watching Abby and Connor with a look of combined amusement and pride. To Nick’s disappointment they were interrupted by a young man in a suit (whom he later found out was Claudia Brown’s assistant), who pulled Stephen away for a meeting.

“Sorry,” Stephen said as he stood and picked up his tray. “Duty calls.”

Connor turned his head to watch Stephen walk away. “Wonder what that’s all about.”

“There wasn’t an alarm, so not a new anomaly,” Abby said.

“Do you think it’s about Cutter?”

“Connor,” Abby chastised.

Connor glanced at Nick. “Sorry.”

“That’s quite alright,” Nick said. He was pretty sure the meeting was about him.

“It’s just, it’s a pretty big deal, you coming back,” Connor said. “Things were pretty hairy there for a while.”

“So I’ve heard,” Nick said, and waited for Connor to tell him more.

Eventually Connor and Abby had to return to work. Nick promised to come visit and see what they were up to once he was let off house arrest. They both looked pleased at his interest. Currently he was allowed only in the public spaces of the ARC, and so he took a mug of tea and a pile of daily newspapers to the atrium where he could see the comings and goings, and possibly overhear tidbits of information while he did his own research.

A few hours later, Stephen dropped into the seat beside Nick. “Discover anything interesting while you sat here?”

Nick folded the paper and pretended to misunderstand Stephen. “I’ve been reading about Parliament’s goings on, so not as such.”

Stephen nodded. “No one knows what to do with you.”

Nick studied Stephen’s face. “Does that include you?”

Stephen’s skin pinked up. That was new. Nick didn’t mention it, but filed it away for later contemplation. Instead of answering the question, Stephen said, “I’ve gotten permission for you to visit Abby’s lab. Claudia agrees that you can’t do much damage there. Probably.”

“Faint praise,” Nick said.

The corner of Stephen’s lips twitched. “Then, if we don’t get a call, we’ll get lunch.”

Of course they got a call. Nick hadn’t thought about how difficult it would be to watch Stephen, Connor, and Abby go off without him.

“Stephen,” Nick called before Stephen reached the door. “Be careful,” he said when Stephen paused.

It appeared that Stephen wanted to say something in return, but he just nodded his head before slipping out the door.

The next thirty-six hours were the longest in Nick’s life. No one would tell him anything about the anomaly, not even whether the team was alright. It was as if Claudia Brown took a perverse pleasure in keeping him in the dark.

Nick killed time by catching up on current events to see if he could discern any major changes, but something Connor had said, about Helen still being out there, niggled at the back of his mind. He asked for a pen and notebook, and started to write down everything he could remember about the anomalies they’d encountered in his time line, and about Helen – her involvement in events, her statements about the future and what she was doing to, in her mind, fix it.

When he’d written down everything he could think of, Nick asked one of the soldiers guarding him to see about setting up a meeting with Claudia. Unsurprisingly, she was too busy with the current anomaly to fit Nick in, which meant that Nick was left to wait for Stephen’s return with nothing to occupy his mind.

The first hint Nick had that Stephen had returned to the ARC was seeing Captain Becker striding across the Atrium towards the stairway that led to Claudia Brown’s office. Despite the late hour and the lack of personnel, Nick thought (and rightly so) that the team’s return would cause a stir that would alert him.

Captain Becker was out of his tactical gear, but still in uniform. He glanced in Nick’s direction and gave him a brief nod before continuing on his way. Becker hadn’t appeared to be alarmed, so he was most likely just checking in. Still, Nick rose to his feet and took a step closer to the stairway, as if doing so would allow him some insight into the conversation taking place in the office above.

“What are you doing?” Stephen said from over Nick’s left shoulder.

Nick jolted as if he’d been hit with an electrical shock, and jerked around. “Stephen!” Nick reached out to touch Stephen’s arm, then halted the movement and contented himself to just looking at him, assuring himself that Stephen was alright.

Stephen raised his eyebrows.

“Sorry,” Nick said. “I’m glad you made it back safely.”

“You didn’t get word?” Stephen said.

“No. I was kept out of the loop.”

Stephen nodded, but the corner of his jaw tightened. “I’ve got to check in,” he said. “Tea when I’m done?”

“I could eat,” Nick said.

Stephen touched his hand to Nick’s shoulder before taking the stairs two at a time. Even with the door closed behind Stephen, Nick could hear the yelling.

“What’s going on?” Abby said.

“Bloody hell!” Nick said as he spun around. “Did you all take stealth lessons in this time line?”

“Not hard to sneak up on you when you’re so focused on Stephen,” Connor observed.

“I was curious,” Nick said, ignoring the flutter in his stomach at Connor’s casually spoken words.

“Of course you were,” Abby said. She took Nick’s arm. “Come on, Cutter. Stephen will fill us in when he’s done.”

Nick let Connor and Abby drag him to the cafeteria where a group of returning soldiers were already enjoying the fresh from the oven pizza the skeleton night crew had laid out. They took a table away from the soldiers, and Connor and Abby went up to get a plate. They brought one back for Nick, as well, but he didn’t touch it.

“Everything alright?” Nick said. Everyone looked fine, but it didn’t hurt to make sure.

“Oh, yeah,” Connor said. “Pretty routine, really.”

“Routine?” Nick said, feeling the pulse pound at his temples. “Don’t ever treat an anomaly like a routine, Connor, because you never know what could come through one of them.”

“He didn’t mean it like that,” Abby said gently.

Nick scrubbed his face. “I know. Sorry for going off like that. Just . . . be careful out there, yeah?”

“Yeah, of course,” Connor said, though he looked a little spooked at Nick’s outburst.

“What’s going on?” Stephen said.

Nick was grateful to see that he wasn’t the only one who was startled by Stephen’s sudden appearance. “I’m going to put a bell on you,” he muttered.

“I’d like to see you try,” Stephen said, which did not do inappropriate things to Nick’s libido.

Nick ignored his reaction and said, “I overreacted.”

“He just wanted us to be careful out there,” Abby said, trying to smooth things over.

“You’re not careful?” Stephen said, his tone dangerous.

“No, we are!” Connor said.

“Yes, of course we’re careful,” Abby said.

“Like I said, overreacted,” Nick said. “Turns out it’s no fun being left behind to worry.”

Stephen looked at each of them as if he knew they weren’t telling him the whole story, then nodded. “Eat your pizza, it’s getting cold,” he told Nick, then went up to the counter to get his own.

On the walk back to Nick’s quarters, Stephen said, “I’ve made sure next time you’ll get word that we’re alright, at least.”

“Thank you, Stephen,” Nick said. “Did that cause you any problems?”

“It’ll be fine,” Stephen said, which wasn’t a no.

Stephen had left to finalize his report on the anomaly before Nick remembered the notes he’d taken. He told Stephen about them over breakfast.

Stephen took the notebook and glanced through it. “Connor and Duncan would have a field day with this.”

“Duncan?” Nick said.

Stephen glanced up. “Connor’s friend. Didn’t you . . . ?”

“No, yeah, we met him. But after what happened with Tom he didn’t really want anything to do with us.”

“Hmm,” Stephen said with a frown. “Our Duncan wanted to make sure Tom hadn’t died for nothing, so he came on board. Don’t tell Connor, but he’s even more of a computer wiz.”

“I heard that,” Connor said as he set his tray on the table. He lifted the strap of the messenger bag over his head and hung it on the back of the chair into which he then dropped.

“Nick wrote down some information about his time line, anomalies they encountered, things they learned from Helen . . . ,” Stephen told Connor. “Do you think you could work up some sort of comparison?”

Connor pulled the notebook closer and flipped through it much as Stephen had done. “The Gorgonopsid was your first one, too?” he noted excitedly. “Yeah, we can do that. A spreadsheet, maybe. Or, wait for it, a time line.” Connor waited for their reaction.

“That’s not a bad idea, actually,” Stephen said.

“‘Course it’s not,” Connor said, but he looked pleased at the acknowledgment. He grimaced. “Don’t know when I’ll be able to get to it, though, with my other duties.”

“I’ll talk to Claudia,” Stephen said. “This could be important.”

Later that morning Nick was called into a meeting in Claudia Brown’s office.

“Why didn’t you bring this to me?” were the first words spoken to Nick when he entered the office where Claudia and Stephen waited.

“I . . . tried to?” Nick said. “Yesterday. You were busy.”

Claudia gave Nick a long, considering look before speaking again. “I’d like you to continue working on this. For now. You’ll work with Connor and Duncan on it. Dismissed.”

Nick’s head spun at the brevity of the meeting – he’d no sooner stepped inside Claudia Brown’s office than he was being kicked out again. Before he could say anything, though, Stephen grabbed his arm and ushered him out.

“What was that?”

“That was us getting what we wanted and Claudia not throwing you in a holding cell, so let’s take the win,” Stephen said.

Nick let Stephen drag him to the stairway, but he couldn’t let it go. “Why does Claudia Brown hate me?” he asked.

“The Claudia in your time, were you involved?” Stephen said.

“No,” Nick said. “We kissed once, but if anything else might’ve happened I’ll never know because she was gone before we had a chance.”

“Right,” Stephen said. “The first time line change you noticed. They happen to you a lot, don’t they?” Stephen mused, but he went on before Nick could contemplate it, much less answer. “Well, in this time, you and Claudia _did_ have a relationship.”

“It ended badly, I take it.”

Stephen gave Nick a look that accused him of being obtuse.

“What?”

“It ended when you ran off with Helen, betrayed your friends and the ARC, and then died in the feeding chamber.”

“Oh,” Nick said. “It sounds bad when you put it like that.”

Stephen snorted, then patted Nick’s arm. “She knows you’re not the same Nick who did all that, but it’s . . . complicated. I’m going to go let Connor know that this project has been approved, and then I have a meeting. Why don’t you take a newspaper to the Atrium and I’ll come see you when I’m done.”

“Yes, alright,” Nick said, but he didn’t move after Stephen left. He reached up absently to touch his arm where his skin burned with the memory of Stephen’s touch.

Nick didn’t know if it was possible to go back to his own time line, didn’t know if he would want to even if he could. But if he stayed, which was the most likely scenario, he wanted to be able to help, to do his job, not remain under house arrest for the rest of his life because no one trusted him. None of that would happen if Claudia Brown continued to hold him responsible for the things that other-Nick had done.

Instead of taking the stairs down to the Atrium, Nick turned and headed back to Claudia Brown’s office. His guards were either taken unaware by Nick’s change in direction, or they wanted to see the ensuing fireworks, because neither moved to stop him.

“Come in,” Claudia said at Nick’s knock. “Cutter,” she said when she realized who’d entered, her tone suddenly a whole lot chillier. She dropped the pen she’d been holding and leaned back in her chair, her posture rigid though she tried to appear relaxed and unconcerned. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to apologize,” Nick said. “I know I’m not the same person who betrayed you, but I’m sorry all the same. You and I, we didn’t have the chance to be more than friends in my time before . . . . Well, I don’t know what could’ve made him choose Helen over you, over anyone here, but I’m sorry I was such an arse in your time line. That’s all I wanted to say.”

Claudia’s eyes were wide and suspiciously bright when Nick finished speaking. He didn’t wait to see if she’d respond to his apology, just nodded at her and left. He hurried down the stairs as if a Raptor was on his tail, and dropped into one of the first chairs he came to. This was a new experience for him – apologizing at all, much less for something he hadn’t done, but it beat being the only one to remember a past that had been lost to the anomalies, and having everyone think you were crazy.

Which reminded him of Stephen, and something he’d said. _They happen to you a lot, don’t they?_

It brought to mind something else Stephen had once said. His Stephen, back in his original time line, after he’d found out about Stephen and Helen and they’d lost their rhythm, fallen out of sync. _Why are all the changes personal to you?_

Nick had been so angry with Stephen at the time, hurt at the betrayal, that he’d dismissed the question. But now, Nick wondered, why _were_ all the changes personal to him? Did it have something to do with the anomalies? Did they only affect the person passing through them? Nick’s heart seemed to stop. Could he pass through another anomaly and lose Stephen again? Could a different Stephen return to this time?

Nick was glad to be interrupted by Stephen’s appearance. “Claudia called me.”

Nick’s face must’ve been a sight, because Stephen immediately said, “What did you do, Cutter?”

“Nothing!” Nick said. “I just . . . apologized.”

“For what?”

“For what other-me did, of course. Because I’d like her to stop hating me for something I didn’t do,” Nick said. “And because it was the right thing to do,” he added. “Why? What did she want?”

“She told me that she’s making Connor’s analysis of the information you gave us a priority.”

“Why would she do that?” Nick said.

“Probably because she’s very eager to catch Helen,” Stephen said. “Listen, Cutter, I hope you’re not thinking that you can have the relationship with Claudia that you missed out on with your own.”

“What? No! Stephen! The thought hadn’t even occurred to me.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Stephen said.

They got lunch – Nick was getting bloody tired of cafeteria food – and then Stephen left Nick with Connor and Duncan to go over the time line comparisons.

“Let him read the reports if he wants to, but he’s not to have access to the server,” Stephen told Connor. “Sorry,” he said to Nick. “Claudia’s orders.”

Nick spent the afternoon in the computer lab. Many of their earliest anomaly encounters lined up. Unsurprisingly, things changed slightly at the point when Nick had first stepped through an anomaly into an altered time line. Nick took advantage of the opportunity presented to read the reports on the early anomalies to see if the specifics remained the same. Most of them did, but Nick made a note of the discrepancies he found just in case they proved to be of some significance.

It was tedious work, and Nick was glad when Stephen came to collect him. “Where are we going?” Nick said when Stephen didn’t turn in the direction that would lead to the cafeteria.

Stephen gave Nick a look, but didn’t reply. Questions were on the tip of his tongue, but Nick knew that Stephen would become even more tight-lipped if he bugged him. Nick was surprised, and a little disappointed, when he realized that they were headed to his quarters. That disappointment lifted when Stephen opened the door and the scent of freshly baked meat pies reached his nose.

A table had been set up with real plates and flatware, and two pints of beer. “Stephen,” Nick said, not knowing what else _to_ say.

“I thought you might be getting sick of cafeteria food.”

Nick’s eyes burned. It was a small thing to do, really, but such a Stephen thing. “I was,” Nick admitted. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Stephen said. “Next time we can invite the others to join us, if you want, but this time I thought . . . .”

“No, this is wonderful,” Nick said. He picked up the bag with The Red Rooster pub logo printed on the side. “I love this place.”

“I know,” Stephen said.

Nick sat down and took a hearty drink of the ale before digging into the pie. He and Stephen used to go to The Red Rooster to relax after a long day of grading papers. “Do you remember . . . ?” Nick began.

“Yes,” Stephen said.

There was a hint of pink on Stephen’s cheeks again. Nick didn’t know what to think about that.

Stephen asked Nick how his afternoon went with Connor and Duncan, and explained that he’d spent his afternoon training with the Special Forces soldiers. They all did at some point so they would be able to take care of themselves out there. With the food and drink, and the two of them talking comfortably about their days, it felt like old times.

Before Stephen left to return the plates and flatware to the cafeteria, he said, “I’ve got something for you.” He held out a small flip phone. “In case you need to contact me, or I need to get in touch with you. I’ve already programmed in my number. Nick. It’s a burner phone. Claudia hasn’t authorized it.”

“Stephen,” Nick said, taking the phone Stephen pushed into his hand. Stephen could get into a lot of trouble if anyone found out about this. He was putting a lot of trust in Nick not to betray them.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Cutter,” Stephen said, and then he was gone.

~*~*~*~

The next few days were more of the same – Nick spent time with Connor and Duncan going over the time line analysis and reading reports. Connor drew up a spreadsheet setting forth the changes Nick had noted between their two time’s dealings with the anomalies. Nick continued reading the reports, even of the anomalies that hadn’t occurred in his original (and altered-original) time line with special care. He took detailed notes on all Helen sightings in an effort to figure out what the bloody hell she was up to (small picture – with the anomalies she was opening for her own use, not larger picture – time experiments). If they knew that, maybe they could figure out where she’d show up next.

Connor sent all of the information and their analyses to Claudia Brown, and Nick was called into meetings with Stephen, Claudia, and Lester to discuss the differences in the anomalies, the existence of time line changes, what they meant, and whether Helen was responsible for them. The next time the alarm went off, Nick was allowed to accompany the team to the staging area to see them off. He exhorted everyone to be careful, and then watched them all climb into the SUV.

“Stephen,” Nick said before the other man climbed into the driver’s seat. Stephen turned and looked at him, but Nick could only stare. Come back, he thought. Stephen nodded as if Nick has spoken the words out loud, and then he swung into the vehicle.

Nick spent the next two days visiting Abby’s lab, having lunch with Duncan, and getting updates from Claudia Brown on the current anomaly. Things had been awkward and strained between them since Nick’s apology, but no longer openly hostile. After their most recent meeting, Claudia had held Nick back.

“Apology accepted, Cutter,” she’d said, and then sent Nick on his way.

Nick didn’t know if that meant she was any closer to trusting him, but he hoped at least that their interactions would be more cordial. If this was his time line now, Nick couldn’t afford to be on bad terms with the woman who ran the ARC and would be instrumental in the decision of whether he would be allowed to be part of it, or not.

Though he tried to keep himself busy, thoughts of Stephen occupied a large portion of Nick’s time. The growing closeness between them, the trust Stephen had shown by getting him the burner phone and sticking up for him with Claudia. The forgiveness. Not once since that first day had Stephen even alluded to the anger and hurt that had existed between them before . . . . Before one of them had been lost to the other.

Nick was waiting in the staging room when Stephen, when the team, returned. They all looked exhausted, but no one appeared to be hurt aside from a few scratches.

“He’s fine,” Abby said when Nick stopped Stephen to examine the large scratch on his arm and the smaller scratches on his face.

“He tripped and fell into a thorn bush _after_ he stood his ground and tranqed the charging Apatosaurus,” Connor said with a laugh.

Stephen gave Nick a sheepish look.

Nick frowned in concentration. “Apatosaurus, isn’t that an herbivore?”

“Still bloody big,” Stephen said.

“If I recall correctly, that’s how you fell into the river, Stephen,” Nick said.

Stephen laughed at the memory, and Nick’s chest went tight. “I’ve missed the hell out of you, Stephen,” he said.

“It’s only been two days, Nick,” Stephen said, but his eyes said something altogether different.

“Not just now, but before,” Nick said.

“I’ve missed you, too, Nick,” Stephen said, his voice low.

“A little help over here if you please, Stephen,” Connor said.

“When you two are done hugging it out, of course,” Abby added.

“No one’s hugging anyone,” Stephen said, but Nick noticed the pink rising on his neck.

Nick’s face felt a little bit warm as he helped them unload their equipment, but he ignored it. By the time they’d removed their gear and signed their weapons back in, the heat had faded. He went with them when they debriefed Claudia, and she barely blinked at his presence.

Outside of Claudia’s office, Stephen said, “We’ve got to shower. Meet us in the cafeteria?”

“I could eat a _bear_,” Connor said as he and Abby headed off to the locker rooms.

“Yeah,” Nick told Stephen.

Stephen touched Nick’s shoulder before he walked away to follow the others. Nick could still feel the touch of Stephen’s hand when he reached the cafeteria.

The next morning Claudia called Nick and Stephen to her office, where Captain Becker was already waiting.

“Professor Cutter,” Claudia said when Nick stood before her. “Captain Becker and Stephen will be doing your firearms certification today.”

Part of Nick wanted to do a jig because that must mean that Claudia was considering having him be part of the team, or at least go out to the anomaly sites with them. “I’m already firearms certified,” he said.

“Brilliant!” Claudia said. “Just provide me with a copy of your certificate and we’ll forgo today’s training.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Nick said.

“I do know that,” Claudia said. “Now go get a certificate that you *can* put in my hands. Unless you’d rather spend the day, and the rest of your days, confined to the ARC, reading reports.”

“Firearms certification it is!” Nick said.

“I thought you’d see it my way.”

Nick had never gotten excited about firearms. They were a tool, nothing more. But he couldn’t deny that Stephen’s and Becker’s excitement over some of the larger guns was contagious. By the time they broke for lunch, Nick’s trigger finger was sore and there was a bruise blooming on his shoulder from the unexpected recoil of one of the rifles.

Nick received congratulations from Connor and Abby for passing his certification, even got a slap on the shoulder from Becker. Nick was more excited that he was one step closer to not having to watch Stephen and the others leave on another mission without him. Certainly Claudia wouldn’t have bothered with the certification if she was going to make him remain behind in the ARC.

After lunch Nick met with Claudia again. She held up the certification signed off on by both Stephen and Becker. “Congratulations,” she told him.

“Thank you,” Nick said.

“The next time an anomaly appears, you may accompany the team . . . .”

Nick’s grin nearly split his face, and he couldn’t resist a fist pump into the air. “Yes!”

“. . . as a civilian consultant only,” Claudia continued. “And on a probationary basis.”

“I understand,” Nick said, trying to bite back his grin and appear more professional. Based on the exasperated expression on Claudia’s face, it wasn’t working.

“Get out of here before I change my mind.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Nick said.

“And don’t call me ma’am!”

Stephen, Abby and Connor were waiting for him in the hallway.

“Claudia’s allowing me to go out with you on the next mission,” Nick said.

Abby let out a whoop and jumped him.

“Probationary basis only,” Nick continued, but the words were lost in Connor’s exclamation of, “Group hug!” as he wrapped his arms around Nick and Abby.

Stephen gave Nick a bemused smile. “Group hug it is,” he said, and then stepped up behind Nick to wrap his arms around the three of them. “Congratulations, Nick,” Stephen said, his breath feathering warm across the back of Nick’s neck.

The rest of the afternoon was spent one-on-one with each of the team as they made sure Nick was up to speed on the various types of equipment they used to study the anomalies. Nick was most excited to play with the rover (designated Rover 1, but named ‘Spot’ by Connor), because that was something they hadn’t yet employed in his own time line.

“Okay,” Abby said with a clap of her hands. “Showers all round.”

Nick gave her a questioning look. “Why?”

“Because tonight we’re celebrating.”

Nick wondered if that meant a team meal from The Red Rooster, which he was not going to turn down. Back in his quarters he discovered a change of clothes lying on his bed, and not his usual uniform of khaki pants and a t-shirt. Nick showered and dressed in the black slacks and green button-down shirt. He studied himself in the mirror and smoothed his hand down the front of his shirt. He hadn’t dressed this nicely in a long time – he was more a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy when he wasn’t required to dress up for a University function or a date, and those had been few and far between.

A soft knock on the door pulled Nick out of his thoughts. When he opened the door, Stephen was leaning against the door frame. He let his eyes slide over Nick.

“You look good,” Stephen said, his voice huskier than usual.

“So do you,” Nick said.

Stephen was dressed in a pair of jeans and a grey sweater that looked like it would be soft to the touch. A hint of the maroon t-shirt he wore beneath it peeked out at the neck.

“Isn’t this a little much for the cafeteria?” Nick said.

“Maybe,” Stephen said. “But it’s perfect for a celebration. Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Nick said. He took a moment to grab his wallet and pulled the door shut behind him. “Do I have you to thank for my new clothes?”

Stephen shrugged. “I knew your sizes.”

Nick was fascinated by the pink that rose in Stephen’s cheeks at that seemingly innocent comment, but he merely said, “Thank you, Stephen.”

Stephen gave Nick a look, almost shy, that he didn’t remember his own Stephen ever having graced him with. Nick’s thoughts were derailed when he realized that Stephen wasn’t leading him to the cafeteria. Perhaps he’d gotten a private room for their celebration. Instead, they ended up in the Atrium where Connor and Abby were already waiting.

“What’s going on?” Nick said.

“A celebration,” Connor said. “Didn’t you tell him?”

“He’s on a need-to-know basis,” Stephen said with a hint of a smirk.

“Very funny, Stephen,” Nick said.

“Is everyone here?” Connor said.

“Almost,” Stephen said. “Just waiting on . . . . Ah, there he is.”

Nick glanced in the direction everyone else was looking and saw Captain Becker approaching their group. Nick had never seen the man out of uniform, but tonight he was also wearing jeans and a t-shirt, covered by a jacket that bulged at the side from the holster he wore beneath it.

“Sorry I’m late,” Becker said.

“No worries, mate,” Connor said, dropping an arm across Becker’s shoulder and earning himself a look.

“Let’s go then,” Abby said, sounding excited.

“Stephen, what’s going on?” Nick said.

“We’re going out to celebrate,” Stephen said.

“We’re leaving the ARC,” Nick confirmed.

“Yes. I cleared it with Claudia. Don’t worry, she didn’t go all soft, she still insisted on a guard, and Hillary offered.”

“Hillary?”

Captain Becker raised his hand.

Before Nick could say anything else, Stephen took his arm and led him out the front door. Stephen and Connor sat in the front, while Nick, Abby, and Becker squeezed into the back seat. It didn’t take Nick long to figure out where they were headed, unless the place had moved in this time line.

“Stephen,” Nick breathed.

Stephen glanced into the rearview mirror and caught Nick’s eye. He looked back at the road, but Nick could see the smile that curved up the corners of his lips.

They passed The Red Rooster in search of a parking spot and Nick turned his head to study the place. It looked exactly the same as he remembered. Stephen parked and they all fell out of the SUV to walk back up the hill to the pub. Nick looked into the shops they passed, then took a long moment to look around the pub once they stepped inside.

“Professor Nick Cutter!” a loud voice boomed. “I haven’t seen you in an age!”

“Mildred!” Nick greeted the landlord with a wave. “It’s good to see you.”

“Have a seat and I’ll get you set up with a pint,” Mildred said, waving a hand towards a table in the corner.

As they made their way to the table Nick couldn’t help but think of as ‘theirs’, he said, “Thank you, Stephen.”

Stephen’s smile was soft. “You’re welcome, Nick.”

~*~

Three days later Nick went out on his first mission with the team. Not _his_ team; Claudia had made it crystal clear that Stephen was in charge of the team, and that Captain Becker had the final say regarding safety concerns.

“Understood,” Nick said.

Claudia’s expression told him that she didn’t believe him for one second.

Connor and Abby forwent their usual Rochambeau for shotgun and both climbed into the back, leaving Nick to sit in the front with Stephen. Nick tried to remain calm – it was just another day in the office, right? He’d done this sort of thing dozens of times – but he couldn’t keep his knee from bouncing with restrained excitement.

Stephen glanced over at Nick, but didn’t say anything about his obvious nerves. When he turned his gaze back to the road, however, his lips curved up into a smile.

From the backseat Connor gave a running commentary on the strength of the magnetic field, and any changes in it. Luckily for Nick it wasn’t a very long drive; unluckily for the ARC and the Home Office, their destination was located in a populated area, Victoria Park in East London. It could’ve been worse, but this was still going to be a PR nightmare, and Nick was glad he wasn’t the one handling it.

When they pulled up, the area around the anomaly had been cordoned off and constables had set up a perimeter and were keeping the public back. Fortunately the crowd was small due to it being a weekday. On the weekend there would have been more families at the deer enclosures and diners at the Pavilion Café rather than the few people taking a break during their lunch hour.

The crowd appeared as calm as they could be, given that a doorway to another time had opened in front of them, but one woman was sobbing hysterically. “What happened?” Nick said.

“She’s the nanny,” Captain Becker told them. “The anomaly opened up right where they were sitting.” He indicated the picnic blanket Nick could see on this side of the anomaly. “Her charge disappeared inside it before she knew what was going on. Luckily someone grabbed her before she could go in after him.”

“How old is he?” Stephen said.

“Three,” Becker said.

“Jesus, Stephen, we’ve got to do something!” Nick said.

“Yes,” Stephen agreed. “Connor!”

“Already on it!” Connor called back.

“Help Connor with the rover,” Stephen told Nick.

“Stephen . . .”

Stephen turned to Nick, leaned in close, and said, “There are a lot of people hoping that you’ll screw this up, Cutter. So don’t.”

Stephen turned away and gestured to Abby, who gave Nick a look he couldn’t decipher before following Stephen. Nick was left feeling irritated, because there was a young child stranded on the other side of the anomaly, and a little bit turned on. To hide his confusion, Nick moved over to where Connor was readying Spot.

“We lost a couple good men once when the air on the other side of the anomaly was toxic,” Connor said conversationally as he got Spot ready to deploy.

“I know,” Nick said irritably. He’d read the report.

“And there might actually be a pride of sabertooth tigers camped on the other side this time.”

“I know that, too,” Nick said, this time less irritably.

“Good,” Connor said. “Then don’t take the piss with Stephen for making the tough choices.”

For the first time it was brought home to Nick that this Connor was not his Connor, because his Connor wouldn’t have had the balls to stand up to him, not yet, anyway.

“We can’t save that kid if everyone we send through dies,” Connor said.

“You’re right,” Nick said.

Connor looked surprised, but then the expression cleared and he looked like his regular cheerful self. “‘Course I am. Now let’s get Spot ready to go so we can get through there and save the kid, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Nick said.

By the time Stephen and Abby returned, Connor had Spot ready to go. The three of them stood behind Connor while he guided the rover through the anomaly so they could see the images the mounted camera sent back. Thankfully, there wasn’t a pride of sabertooth tigers camped on the other side, nor was the air Spot tested toxic to breathe.

“Can you see the child?” Nick said.

“Thomas,” Stephen corrected.

Nick noted the tightness at the corner of Stephen’s eyes, his lips. “Thomas,” he said, reaching up to squeeze Stephen’s shoulder.

Stephen gave him a grateful look, then turned his gaze back to the monitor as the camera rotated to give them a 360 degree view of the area. Captain Becker came over and stood next to Stephen as Abby stepped forward to take the rover controls from Connor so he could work the aerial camera.

“What have we got?” Becker said.

“No creatures,” Stephen said. “The air’s breathable. No sign of Thomas so far, but there’s a lot of places for him to hide.” He indicated the screen, which showed rock falls and scraggly brush, both of which would make good hiding places.

“Alright,” Becker said. “I’ll get a team together.”

Captain Becker strode off and Stephen made no move to follow him.

“What’s going on?” Nick said.

“Becker’s getting ready to go through the anomaly,” Stephen said.

“What about us?”

“We wait,” Stephen said. “This isn’t our area of expertise.”

“You’re a tracker,” Nick said.

“Becker has good men and women on his team. They’re trained in Search and Rescue. They’ve got this. Trust me,” Stephen added.

~*~

Nick lay in bed that night staring at the ceiling, unable to shut off his brain and relax enough to let sleep claim him. Finally he gave it up as a lost cause. Nick had no interest in turning on the television, and he couldn’t concentrate on the reports he was still slogging through, and so he stared at the wall and thought about their day.

Captain Becker’s team had found Thomas safe (if scared out of his wits) and returned him to his nanny. Once the area had been declared safe, Stephen and the rest of their team went through the anomaly to explore and take samples.

Stephen had already determined that no creatures had come through from the other side, so once they were done they returned to the ARC, leaving a team of Special Forces soldiers to guard the anomaly since it showed no signs of weakening. If it didn’t close over night, they were scheduled to go back out tomorrow . . . Nick checked the time, later today, now.

Connor had said that Nick lucked out with is first anomaly (in their time). “It was exciting without being pants-wetting fearful, no one got hurt, and we didn’t have to camp overnight.”

Stephen had given Connor an amused look, but his features still bore the strain of having to make the ‘tough decisions’, as Connor had said.

Nick took out the burner phone that Stephen had given him. He stared at it for a while before he turned it on and pulled up the one number in his contacts.

Stephen sounded worried when he answered. “Nick! Is something wrong?”

“Yes,” Nick said. “I was a bit of an arse today.”

“Jesus,” Stephen muttered, his sigh of relief sounding like a balloon losing air.

“Sorry for the scare.”

“No, it’s fine,” Stephen said, the familiar tone of his voice telling Nick that his heart was still racing.

“I wanted . . . needed to apologize. I’m just not used to . . . .”

“Not rushing headlong into dangerous situations and asking questions later?” Stephen said wryly.

Nick snorted. It was almost as if Stephen knew him. “Something like that,” he said.

“It’s a learning curve,” Stephen admitted. “Get some sleep, Nick.”

Nick was late to breakfast the next morning. Stephen, Connor, and Abby were already there when he arrived. Nick didn’t know if they had always eaten breakfast in the cafeteria, or if they were doing it for his benefit.

“You’re late,” Abby observed.

“Couldn’t get to sleep last night,” Nick told her.

“Too much excitement,” Connor said knowingly.

“Something like that,” Nick said.

On his way to fill his tray, Nick saw Captain Becker enter the cafeteria, so he detoured to intercept him. Becker looked momentarily nonplussed to see Nick bearing down on him, but he recovered quickly.

“What can I do for you, Professor Cutter?” Becker said.

“Nothing,” Nick said. “I wanted to commend you on a job well done yesterday.”

Becker appeared surprised at the comment. “We were just doing our job.”

“Nonetheless,” Nick said. “You saved a boy’s life.”

“Well,” Becker said. “Thank you.”

Nick nodded and allowed Becker to move off. He waited a moment so he wouldn’t be right behind the man in line, and then moved to the food service counter to fill his tray.

“What was that about?” Abby said when Nick returned to their table.

“I just wanted to commend Captain Becker for a job well done yesterday,” Nick said.

“Bet that went over well,” Stephen said dryly.

“Like a fart in church,” Connor added.

“Your language is always so colorful,” Nick said.

“Thank you.”

~*~

“Yesterday must have been a PR nightmare,” Nick said when he’d sat in the seat Claudia indicated.

“We’ve had worse,” Claudia said. “From all accounts, you did well yesterday.”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” Nick said. When Claudia just stared at him, he admitted, “It was a different experience.”

“Not leading the team?”

“Not being one of the first ones through the anomaly,” Nick said.

“Ah, yes,” Claudia said. “Patience never was your strong suit.”

The comment startled a laugh out of Nick. “No.”

“Yes, well.” Claudia sounded like she regretted the familiarity of the comment. “You’ll learn, I’m sure.”

“So you’re letting me stay on the team?”

“I’m allowing you to continue going out with the team,” Claudia corrected. “If you’ll answer one question.”

“Anything,” Nick said.

“You’ve been very helpful since you arrived in this time line,” Claudia said. “Providing information, working with Connor and Duncan to analyze the differences between our two time lines, helping to figure out what Helen might be up to . . . .”

“Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming on?”

“I’m curious about one thing,” Claudia went on, ignoring his comment.

“What’s that?”

“You haven’t said word one about wanting to return to your own time line,” Claudia said. She leaned back in her chair, hands crossed loosely in her lap as she waited for his reply. Anyone who didn’t know her might assume that she was as relaxed as she appeared.

“I’ve thought about it,” Nick said.

“Going back?”

“Why I’m not chomping at the bit to go back,” Nick clarified. “The first time it happened, I lost someone. I knew that something we’d done, possibly something _I’d_ done, had altered the time line. I felt compelled to fix it, to find away to bring you . . . her back.”

Nick chanced a glance at Claudia, but looked away quickly when he saw that she was having a hard time keeping her composure.

“This time,” Nick went on, the arms of the chair biting into his hands where he gripped them too tightly. “I’ve found someone I thought lost to me forever. And I can’t bear the thought of losing him again.”

Claudia nodded. “Thank you for being honest with me,” she said briskly.

“Of course,” Nick said, reaching out to take the plastic card she pushed across the desk to him.

“I’ve lifted your military escort,” Claudia said. “This badge will allow you access to all areas of the ARC for which you have been given authorization. This does not include the armory or the artifact storage vault. You will still be required to remain on premises unless you’re on a mission with Stephen’s team. You are still a . . . .”

“Civilian consultant, got it,” Nick said, but he was grinning.

“Get out of here, Cutter,” Claudia said.

There was no one waiting for him when he stepped out into the hallway. Nick whistled as he went down the stairs. He stopped by Abby’s lab first, because he could, then Connor’s lab, and lastly the gym where Stephen was training with some of the Special Forces soldiers. Nick wandered over to where Captain Becker stood on the sidelines, arms crossed as he watched the men on the mat, occasionally calling out encouragement or a correction. He glanced over at Nick’s approach, raising an eyebrow when he noted the lack of an escort. Nick flashed the badge and Becker smiled.

“You’ve met with Claudia, I take it,” Becker said.

“I have.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Stephen was already smiling before he reached Nick. “The meeting with Claudia went well, I take it.”

“Did everyone know?”

“Not everyone,” Stephen said.

“This calls for a celebration,” Nick said.

“What did you have in mind?”

“I heard a rumor this morning that there would be fresh pie.”

“I think we can do better than that,” Stephen said.

‘Better than that’ turned out to be an afternoon spent at Battersea Park. They grabbed lunch (a basket of fish and chips, a meat pie, and two drinks) at the snack bar near the car park, and then wandered along the promenade until they found an empty bench overlooking the Thames. They ate in companionable silence, watching the boats on the river. When they were done, Stephen binned their trash and then they continued on along the promenade.

Stephen kept his silence, but Nick could tell by the stiff set of his shoulders (despite the casual way he’d tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jeans), and his distracted air, that there was something on his mind.

“Out with it, Stephen,” Nick finally said as they stood peering into the deer enclosure to see if they could spot one of the elusive creatures.

Stephen glanced at Nick as if he was going to deny that anything was on his mind, but he caught Nick’s eye and ducked his head. “It’s just . . . you’ve been here for a few weeks now, and you haven’t said anything about . . . where you came from.”

“Have you and Claudia been talking?” Nick said, the words coming out more sharply than he’d intended.

“What? No,” Stephen said.

“Sorry,” Nick said. “It’s just that . . . she said something similar to me today.”

“About not talking about it?”

“About not being more vocal about trying to figure out a way to get back,” Nick said. When Stephen didn’t say anything in response, Nick said, “Does it bother you? That I don’t want to go back?”

“It . . . worries me,” Stephen said. “That one day you’re going to wish you could.”

“Stephen,” Nick said. He moved closer and put a hand on Stephen’s shoulder. “I was very unhappy there, just going through the motions, really. I’d lost so much. Some days it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. You and I were distant, but then you died and that distance became permanent. I don’t know if I did something that altered the time line again, or that brought me here to yours, or maybe it was just dumb luck, but I don’t have any intention of going anywhere you aren’t.”

Nick slid his hand higher on Stephen’s shoulder until his fingers touched the bare skin of Stephen’s neck. He squeezed and felt Stephen’s shudder in response. Heat bloomed in Nick’s belly as if his own hand and arm had conducted it from Stephen’s neck.

“I hope that puts your mind at ease, Stephen,” Nick said, aiming for a jovial tone he didn’t quite reach.

Stephen couldn’t look at him. “I didn’t want you to have second thoughts.”

“I’ve second guessed myself about a lot of things. This isn’t one of them,” Nick said. “I promise you that.”

Stephen looked relieved, and something else Nick couldn’t put his finger on. Or was afraid to.

“Come on,” Nick said, changing the subject to one less fraught. “Let’s go see the ferrets.”

Stephen let himself be pulled away from the deer enclosure. “You’ve seen a Gorgonopsid up close and personal, and you want to see a ferret?”

Nick, realizing that he still had his hand on Stephen’s shoulder let it slide off. “The ferret won’t try to eat me,” he said. “Probably. And if you’re good, they might let you climb on the fire truck.”

Stephen laughed, but it sounded forced, and the flush on his skin made Nick wonder where his thoughts had taken him.

They wandered leisurely through the park, spending time at the Children’s Zoo (where Nick got to pet the ferret and Stephen refused to go near the snakes, even though he was assured they couldn’t get loose), and then visited the Pump House Gallery. Their current exhibit was called ‘Where Is Home?’ which Nick thought was both ironic and appropriate given his conversations with Claudia and Stephen that day.

They stopped to admire the Crystal Display fountain, watched a few minutes of rugby at the pitch, and ended up on the covered terrace at La Gondola Al Parco overlooking the lake. They both ordered a pint and watched the boaters.

“Thank you, Stephen,” Nick said. “This was a really nice afternoon.”

Stephen’s smile was almost shy. “You’re welcome.”


	2. Team Bonding

There were three anomalies the next week, and the team was run ragged keeping up with them. The first opened to the Cretaceous and a Triceratops came through before they arrived to keep watch over it. They were able to get it back through, but only after it had mortally wounded one Special Forces soldier and injured another handful. Nick had only been spared injury because Captain Becker had knocked him to the ground when the creature suddenly changed direction and came after them.

While they’d been tracking and attempting to subdue the Triceratops, Connor and Abby had been working with Spot to see what was on the other side of the anomaly. They found a small nesting area.

“She’s got young ones over there, that’s why she was so aggressive,” Nick said. “She was trying to protect them.”

While they were loading the Triceratops onto the cart, Stephen told them that the team had been given approval for a quick trip through to take photos and gather samples. No matter how many times Nick stepped through an anomaly, or how inhospitable the landscape was, it always felt like a miracle. And to be doing it again with Stephen really was a miracle.

As soon as the Triceratops had been returned to her own time, they all stepped back through to the present. A group of soldiers were left to guard the anomaly to make sure there wasn’t another incursion. They packed up their gear and got everything loaded onto the truck, but Stephen hesitated before getting inside.

“What’s wrong?” Nick said.

Stephen shook his head. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

Nick waited while Stephen mulled it over. “She was protecting her young. So why would she have stepped through the anomaly and left them behind?”

“She didn’t,” Nick said, following Stephen’s train of thought.

“She followed _them_ through,” Stephen said. “Damn it, there’s at least one creature still on this side!”

“She led us a merry chase,” Becker said when Stephen told him what they’d realized. “The young Triceratops could be anywhere.”

“No,” Stephen said, shaking his head. “She purposely led us away from it.”

“Where did you first spot her?” Nick asked Becker.

Becker told them, and Stephen said, “We’ll start the search there.”

After consulting a map of the area, and dividing up into teams, and looking for some sign that the mother Triceratops hadn’t trampled, they found two young hidden in some brush. They were easily tranquilized and returned through the anomaly without any further injury or mishap.

“Nice job, Stephen,” Nick said as they headed back to the truck.

After unloading the truck so they equipment could be checked over before being packed back on for the next anomaly, the team split up. Stephen headed for Claudia’s office, Connor and Abby went to the locker rooms to shower and change, and Nick to his quarters to do the same. It felt weird to be walking down the hallway without an escort. Nick made sure to keep his badge visible for those who gave him a second look.

They’d missed lunch, so Nick went to the cafeteria to see what they had available. Connor and Abby were already there with Duncan. Nick gave them a wave, but didn’t stop at the table before heading do the food service counter. There was some lighter fare, but Nick wanted something comforting, so he chose the Shepherd’s Pie.

Stephen walked into the cafeteria alongside Captain Becker. His hair was damp and he’d changed his clothes, so he must’ve stopped by the locker room after his meeting with Claudia. In contrast, Becker was still in the same uniform he’d worn on the mission, torn from knocking Nick out of the path of the rampaging Triceratops, and bloodied where he’d helped fellow soldier get to the medic.

Stephen’s face was grave when he joined them. “Simonson died,” he said.

“He had a husband and two kids,” Connor said.

They shared a moment of silence. Nick couldn’t help but notice the slump of Stephen’s shoulders. “It’s not your fault,” he said.

Stephen nodded, but Nick knew that didn’t mean he actually believed it. He slid his tray so Stephen could reach it. “You need something to eat.”

Stephen took the fork Nick held out to him and dug into the pie without much interest. Nick rubbed Stephen’s shoulder. Color rose up Stephen’s neck and he ducked his head and showed a renewed interest in the pie.

~*~

The second anomaly closed while Captain Becker and his team were on the other side, trapping them in the Paleogene. The magnetic field was strong right up until the moment it wasn’t. In a panic, Connor started yelling, “It’s closing, it’s closing!”

Before anyone could react, before the team on the other side had a chance of making it back to the anomaly, it flickered twice and then winked out of existence as if it had never been there. Everyone stared in disbelief, but to their credit, the base camp didn’t erupt into chaos.

“No! No, no, no!” Connor said.

“What have we got?” Stephen asked Connor.

“We’ve lost all contact with Rover 1,” Connor said, the formality proof of how shaken he was.

“Lt. Mickle?” Stephen said.

“We’ve lost communication with Captain Becker,” she said.

Stephen nodded. Once the anomaly – the doorway between the two time periods – closed, there was no way to maintain contact, but it settled everyone to follow procedure and state the situation out loud, and so Stephen asked the questions.

“Can we get that anomaly back open?” Stephen said as he pulled out his cell phone.

Connor shook his head. “We haven’t figured out how it works, yet.”

With a grave expression, Stephen turned away to make his phone call to Claudia. Nick watched Stephen for a moment as he made his report, then turned to Connor. “What haven’t you figured out how to work?”

“A future device,” Abby said. She’d started lining up their equipment in a nervous tic.

“We think it opens anomalies,” Connor explained.

“You mean, open an anomaly on _purpose_,” Nick clarified, stunned.

“Yes,” Abby said.

“That would certainly explain why Helen was able to be in so many places at the right time,” Nick mused. “Why haven’t you been able to figure out how it works?” he asked Connor.

“Testing the device would require opening up an anomaly, a lot of possible anomalies. We’d need a very secure location and several teams of Special Forces soldiers,” Connor told him.

“And authorization,” Abby added.

“Claudia won’t authorize it?” Nick said.

“The Home Office won’t,” Connor said. “Claudia, and even Lester in his own way, have been pushing for it, but they’re requiring her to jump through a lot of hoops.”

“Well, if there was ever a time to test the device, it would be now,” Nick declared.

“Claudia agrees,” Stephen said.

Nick started, having not heard Stephen’s approach.

“She’s coming out, and she’s bringing the device with her.”

“The Home Office finally gave their approval?” Connor said.

“The Home Office hasn’t been advised of the situation, yet,” Stephen said.

Nick glanced at the Special Forces soldiers, who were assigned to the ARC, but technically under the auspices of the Home Office.

“They want Becker and his team back as much as we do,” Stephen said.

“And in the meantime?” Nick said.

“We get ready for when the anomaly opens, one way or the other, and just hope everyone survived. Connor, monitor the anomaly. Let me know if there’s any change, no matter how small. Abby, work with Corporal Josephs to prepare for possible injuries.”

Connor and Abby both gave Stephen variations on, ‘yes, sir,’ and got to work. Instead of looking abashed, Stephen accepted the address as his due. Despite the circumstances, Nick couldn’t help being impressed by Stephen’s leadership abilities. He’d shown them when they still worked for the University, but always as Nick’s right hand man, rather than as his own man.

“And what about us?” Nick said to cover when Stephen turned his attention onto him.

“We’re going to put together a survival package,” Stephen said.

Stephen gave Nick a look, and Nick understood what Stephen wasn’t saying. No one wanted to say out loud that it was a very slight possibility that Captain Becker and his team might be stranded in the distant past. Their hope was that the anomaly would reopen and the entire team make it safely through, but it might never reopen, and even if it did, there might not be enough time for the team to get through it. But there might be time to toss a case through to them.

The anomaly flickered once, drawing a yell of excitement from Connor, and drawing the attention of everyone else. It didn’t open, but it had been enough for a two second transmission from Spot: an image of Captain Becker and his team. They’d made it back to the anomaly site without any visible injuries and were waiting there for it to reopen.

Everyone was on pins and needles by the time two SUVs arrived from the ARC. Soldiers spilled from the vehicles and formed a defensive circle before Claudia stepped out, followed by Duncan, who carried a case.

“Duncan!” Connor called the moment he caught sight of him.

Duncan started running when he saw Connor and the two men nearly collided when they met. They were both speaking excitedly and it sounded like they were talking over each other, but the way they grinned and slapped the other’s shoulder, Nick figured they must be able to understand each other, even if no one else could.

Claudia followed more sedately, her military escort parting to let her through. She approached Lt. Mickle first and spoke some words to her, then moved over to where Nick, Stephen, and Abby stood watching Connor and Duncan do their thing. The artifact was like nothing Nick had ever seen, not surprising given that it was from the future – or some future. Maybe that future no longer existed. Nick stopped that train of thought before it could get started – the intricacies of time travel gave him a headache.

Nick glanced at Claudia, who stood stiff-shouldered beside him, like one of those wooden soldiers, and then forced his attention back to Connor.

“Say it,” Claudia said.

Surprised, Nick turned back to see Claudia looking at him. “Say what?”

“Whatever it is that you’re thinking.”

“I didn’t think that any words of encouragement from me would be welcome,” Nick said.

“Neither did I,” Claudia said, and Nick could hear the strain in her voice.

“You’re doing the right thing, Claudia Brown,” Nick said.

A portion of Claudia’s stiffness eased with her next breath. “If this works, no one will dare to say anything.”

“It will work,” Nick said with conviction, even though he had no idea if it would. “And if it doesn’t, you can blame me.”

That earned a huff of laughter from Claudia that made both Stephen and Abby glance their way. Abby’s was quick, but Stephen looked at Claudia, and then Nick with a more appraising gaze before he turned back to Connor and Duncan.

A moment later Connor said, “We’re ready for our first test.”

“Explain,” Claudia said, her tone clipped.

“We’re basically leaving the artifact in its default state,” Duncan began.

“What we _think_ is its default state,” Connor chimed in.

“We believe it might be able to sense the residual magnetic field from the anomaly and reopen it,” Duncan finished.

“What are the odds of it working?” Claudia said.

“Since we’ve never tested this artifact in the field before, low. Like fifteen percent,” Connor said.

“There’s a greater chance that we haven’t calibrated the artifact properly and nothing will happen,” Duncan said.

“There’s also a chance that we’re going to open an anomaly to somewhere else,” Connor added.

“And if it doesn’t work?” Claudia said.

“Then we start playing anomaly roulette until it does,” Connor said with resolve.

“Alright,” Claudia said. “Lt. Mickle, get your team ready. What are you two doing?” she said when Nick and Stephen each picked up a pack and moved closer to where the anomaly had shimmered in the air like broken shards of glass before it snapped shut.

“Extra supplies, just in case,” Stephen said.

Claudia nodded. “Okay, Connor, Duncan, begin.”

Connor and Duncan both placed a finger on a switch on the artifact. Connor counted down from three, and on zero they flipped the switch. Nothing happened.

“What’s happening?” Claudia said.

Connor left Duncan with the artifact and picked up the device that warned them when an anomaly had opened. “Nothing,” Connor said, disappointment thick in his voice. “No increase in the magnetic field at all.” He glanced hopefully at Abby, who was watching the Rover 1 monitor, but she shook her head.

Nick only realized he’d been holding his breath when he released it. He looked at Stephen, who looked just as disappointed as Nick felt.

Suddenly Connor let out a squeal. “Something’s happening!” he called, shaking the device in his hand. “The magnetic field is beginning to increase!”

“I’ve got something, too!” Abby said. “No image, just static, but . . . .”

They wouldn’t have gotten even that much if the anomaly hadn’t opened up, at least a little bit, though they couldn’t see it with the naked eye.

“Try throwing something through,” Claudia said.

Stephen was the better shot, and they were tossing at something they couldn’t see, so Nick gave him the go ahead nod. Stephen rolled his eyes, but tossed the pack in the direction of the anomaly. It sailed through the air and landed on the ground.

“Try again,” Claudia said desperately.

“We’re just guessing where it is,” Nick said.

“Wait!” Connor brought the magnetic field reader closer to the anomaly to see where the field was strongest.

“Wow, that’s . . . small,” Duncan said.

“So let’s send something small,” Nick said. He dug through his pack for a bottle of water and held it out to Stephen, but Connor already had a pen in his hand. He moved it near the spot he’d measured, then moved his hand closer until the anomaly’s magnetic field started to exert a pull on the pen. When he released it, the pen shot through the unseen anomaly like a bullet.

“I hope no one was standing right on the other side,” Connor said with a slight wince.

“Try the water bottle,” Claudia said. “Let’s see how big an item we can send through.”

Stephen took the bottle, aimed at the spot Connor’s pen had disappeared, and tossed. One moment the bottle was there, the next it was gone.

“Yes!” Nick said, given Stephen a congratulatory slap on the shoulder.

“Fluke,” Connor muttered.

“Jealous,” Stephen replied automatically.

“Since we can’t see it, can we find a way to measure the exact size of the anomaly so we know what we’re dealing with?” Claudia said.

“By ‘we’ do you mean ‘me’?” Connor said.

“You and Duncan,” Claudia said, making a ‘get on with it’ gesture.

A few minutes after Connor and Duncan had bent their heads together in concentration, the water bottle came flying back out of the unseen anomaly. At first Nick thought that the anomaly had spit the bottle back out without letting it go through, but when Stephen picked it up he could see that it had been emptied of water and something else placed inside.

Stephen unscrewed the cap and tipped the bottle upside down. A pen fell into his hand, and then he used it to pull out a piece of paper that turned out to be the label which Captain Becker had torn off and written on the back of with Connor’s pen. Stephen read it aloud.

_No littering. Bite me, Connor. Also, hurry up. Becker_

A little cheer went up at the silly communication, which only served to steel their resolve to rescue the men. It took another hour for the transmission from Spot to clear up, and at that point they also got comms back and Claudia was able to explain to Becker what they were attempting.

“The Home Office finally approved testing?” Becker said.

“They will when it works, Captain,” Claudia said.

Becker looked momentarily surprised, but it cleared quickly, and he said, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Stop calling me ma’am,” Claudia said. “Tell us what’s going on over there.”

Becker had set up a rotating watch and a tarp over Rover 1, but they couldn’t wander far from the anomaly site for food or water in case it reopened, so they were reliant on what they carried in their packs, which wouldn’t last too much longer since they’d only carried day packs equipped with enough supplies to last for up to eight hours.

They sent through some more water, and once the anomaly had expanded enough, full packs of supplies. Since they’d regained comms, Becker or one of the other soldiers kept up a running commentary, telling them what they’d found on the other side, assuring them that they’d taken photos and samples with all the extra time they’d had, and answering Connor’s questions about the appearance (and disappearance) of the anomaly from their side.

As the hours wore on, more people showed up, including Lester. Nick wasn’t surprised that word had leaked out. By now the shimmering broken glass effect of the anomaly hung suspended in the air, but it was still not large enough for a large mammal to pass through. When he saw Lester heading in Claudia’s direction, Nick made sure he was close enough to intervene if he had to.

“You do realize that heads are going to roll for this,” Lester said conversationally to Claudia.

“I expected as much,” Claudia said. “I don’t have any regrets.”

“No,” Lester said. “Neither do I.” He drew a folded piece of paper out from an inside pocket of his suit jacket and handed it to Claudia. She steeled her shoulders and unfolded it. Her expression changed from resolved to surprised as she read. When she finished, she looked at Lester. “James!”

“God knows who they’d replace you with if they got that bee in their bonnet,” Lester said.

“What about you?”

Lester shrugged. “I’ve got a little bit of political clout I can draw upon. And if worse comes to worst, I can always come work for you.”

Claudia’s laugh was brittle. “Wouldn’t that be an interesting turn of events.” She carefully refolded the paper, then folded it again before slipping it into her pocket. ”Thank you,” she said softly.

“Don’t mention it,” Lester said. “I mean that literally, don’t ever mention it.”

“Mention what?” Claudia said, but there was a small smile on her face.

“And the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day,” Stephen muttered, startling a laugh out of Nick.

They were there for eight more hours before the anomaly opened enough to allow Captain Becker and his team to pass through. Someone (Nick’s money was on Lester) arranged for deliveries of food and coffee to keep them going.

When the soldiers appeared out of the anomaly a loud cheer went up. Captain Becker gave a wave and a tired smile. The only reason the men weren’t mobbed was because training kicked in. They were escorted over to where a temporary medical area had been set up and checked over.

“How are they?” Claudia said.

“Sunburn mostly,” Corporal Jenks said. “Some sunstroke. We managed to keep them hydrated and fed, at least.”

Claudia nodded, then informed the returned men, “Your first stop will be the infirmary, where you will all get a thorough check-up, and then I don’t want to see any of you again for at least 24 hours. I mean it. Take 48 hours if you need to, heck, take a week.”

Lester looked like he wanted to protest, but he held his tongue.

Captain Becker had stood when Claudia approached. Now he said, “Thank you, ma’am.” He wasn’t talking about taking time off.

“You’re welcome, Captain,” Claudia said. Then she socked him in the arm. “Don’t call me ma’am.”

Claudia turned away, but not before Nick saw the glisten of tears in her eyes. Behind her, Becker clutched his arm and mouthed, ‘Ow!’

Nick had learned all of their names while they’d been waiting for the anomaly to reopen, and now he went over to shake each of their hands and tell them he was glad to have them back. Becker was last. “Captain Becker, sir,” Nick said. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Becker said.

Claudia had ordered the artifact turned off as soon as the team had come through with the rover, and now Nick returned to help the team pack up their equipment. Stephen didn’t say anything about what had just happened, but Nick could feel his eyes on him.

“Shut up, Stephen,” Nick said.

Stephen just grinned, then sighed when his gaze fell on Connor, who was lovingly checking over Spot. “Connor, stop making love to that thing and get it loaded onto the truck.”

Connor covered the rover’s ‘ears’. “Watch your language around Spot! He’s not a thing.”

They all laughed, and if it held a bit of hysteria, no one would tell.

~*~

The third anomaly was a tense affair. Not because anything horrible happened, but because nothing out of the ordinary did. There was no incursion, the anomaly didn’t suddenly snap closed, no one was hurt or killed, or stranded in the past. But they kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, kept looking over their shoulders and expecting the shit to hit the fan at any moment.

The anomaly gave plenty of warning before it closed, and the entire team, including the Special Forces soldiers, were in their vehicles and on the way back to the ARC within six hours after they’d arrived. Everyone gave a collective sigh of relief once they were all inside the SUV, which made them all break out in nervous laughter.

They went to a drive-thru on the way back to the ARC and, instead of waiting in the lot for them like they sometimes did, the Special Forces van went through behind them. Nick didn’t feel quite so bad for his case of nerves when even specially trained solders needed a dose of grease, caffeine and sugar after the week they’d had.

Nick helped Connor and Abby unload the equipment while Stephen met with Claudia, and then they all gathered in Abby’s lab to write their reports so she could check on her creatures. When they were finished, they collected Duncan and headed to the cafeteria for dinner.

The next morning Nick startled to find Stephen sitting in his quarters when he stepped out of the bathroom after taking a shower. “Bloody hell, Stephen!” Nick said. Even though he was wearing a pair of skivvies that covered more than some shorts, Nick held the towel he’d been running over his head in front of himself like a shield.

“Sorry,” Stephen said. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“That’s a blatant lie.”

Stephen grinned, then indicated the bag on the bed. “I’ve brought you some clothes.”

Nick glanced at the bag. “So I see. Why? And why are you dressed like that?” For the first time Nick noticed that Stephen was wearing a long-sleeved button down over a t-shirt rather than his ARC uniform of khakis and tee.

“Because we’ve got the day off,” Stephen said.

“Day off?” Nick repeated.

“Yes. We do get them.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Nick said.

“Well, you would if you’d get dressed,” Stephen said, dangling a set of keys from his finger.

“What’s that?”

“Your day pass,” Stephen said. “Unless you’d rather stay here.” The words were spoken in jest, but with an underlying thread of concern that Nick might actually prefer that to time spent in Stephen’s company.

“Don’t be a ninny, Stephen,” Nick said. “Now turn around, if you please, so I can get dressed.”

Stephen rolled his eyes, but complied.

Nick didn’t know where this modesty came from. Stephen had already seen him in his skivvies, and in the past they’d showered together in the locker room on more than one occasion, but something about the way Stephen looked at him sometimes, and more importantly, the way his own body reacted to it, made him feel more exposed than he’d ever felt in Stephen’s company.

Nick dressed quickly, barely feeling the rough denim and soft cotton under his hands. “Okay, I’m ready,” he said after slipping into his shoes. He grabbed his wallet and jacket, and when he turned around Stephen was staring strangely at him. “What?”

“You look good,” Stephen said.

Nick felt his cheeks heat. “Thank you. So do you.”

Stephen’s smile made Nick’s stomach twist in pleasant and unexpected ways. He looked away and caught sight of his ID badge. He picked it up and waved it at Stephen. “I’m not going to get arrested for this, am I?”

“That depends on what you plan to get up to,” Stephen said as he opened the door.

“I meant because of this breakout,” Nick said.

“I’m not breaking you out,” Stephen said. “I’ve okayed the trip with Claudia.”

“You had this planned? Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I know how much you like surprises,” Stephen said.

“I _hate_ surprises.”

Stephen smirked and just kept walking. Nick was man enough to admit that he might’ve let Stephen get a ways ahead of him so he could enjoy the view it afforded.

They went to a nice restaurant that Nick had never been to – he didn’t want to know if it hadn’t existed in his time – that served a full English for brunch. Nick helped himself to too much of it, but even stuffed to the gills he couldn’t be sorry for the indulgence.

“What else do you have planned?” Nick said.

“What makes you think I have anything planned?”

Nick raised his eyebrows.

“We’re going to meet Connor and Abby at a museum,” Stephen said.

Nick felt a stab of disappointment that surprised him.

“We usually try to do something together every couple of weeks. Remind ourselves what’s important,” Stephen said.

Nick reached out and covered Stephen’s hand. “It sounds wonderful, Stephen. It’ll be nice to see Connor and Abby outside the ARC.”

Stephen gave Nick a weak smile and the clouds in his eyes cleared a little bit. Nick’s indulgent mood lasted until they pulled into the car park next to the museum. “You have got to be kidding me,” he said.

“It was Connor’s turn to choose,” Stephen said unnecessarily.

Nick gave him a look. “Obviously. You could’ve warned me.”

“Would you have come if I told you?” Stephen said.

“Of course I would have,” Nick said immediately, not missing the tension easing out of Stephen’s shoulders. He turned to look back at the museum. “I just wouldn’t have turned down that second Bloody Mary at brunch,” he said sorrowfully.

“I’ll buy you a pint after,” Stephen offered.

“I’m holding you to that, Stephen.”

Stephen laughed as he got out of the car, and Nick followed him to the front of the building where Connor and Abby were already waiting.

“Stephen! Professor!” Connor called. “Isn’t this amazing?” Connor swung his arm out to indicate the museum and barely missed clipping Abby, who gave him a look both irritated and indulgent.

“It . . . sure is something,” Nick said, tipping his head back to look at the impressive facade and trying to not see the sign hanging above the doorway announcing _The Alien and UFO Exhibition_.

The exhibit was larger than Nick had expected, which delighted Connor and made Nick suppress a groan. Connor took his time reading every plaque. Nick didn’t hesitate to throw Abby to the wolves as he and Stephen moved more quickly through the exhibit. Still, Stephen paused every once in a while to look at something more closely, or to read a sign.

“Do you believe in this stuff?” Nick said.

Stephen shrugged. “I never believed I’d see a Gorgonopsid before.”

“Point,” Nick said.

Even so, they finished walking through the exhibit long before Connor and Abby did. They found a bench in the lobby and engaged in some people watching. As they sat in companionable silence, only broken when one of them wanted to point out something to the other, Nick realized that he didn’t care that they were at an Alien & UFO Museum, only that he was there with Stephen.

Nick nudged Stephen with his elbow. Stephen tilted his head closer, his eyes continuing to scan the room as he waited to see what Nick was going to point out. “Thanks for inviting me along on your outing today.”

Steven turned startled eyes on Nick. They were sitting so close that Nick could see the fan of Stephen’s lashes on his cheek when he blinked, the flecks of gray in his blue eyes that could sometimes look like a storm cloud. “You’re welcome,” Stephen said, dropping his gaze and sitting up straight so no longer leaned so close to Nick. “Why wouldn’t I invite you?”

Nick shrugged. “This is your . . . thing, your tradition, I’m an intruder.”

“You’re not an intruder,” Stephen said, sounding almost angry. He glanced away from a moment to compose himself. “There used to be a Nick-shaped hole in our _tradition_,” he said bitterly.

Nick reached out and touched the back of Stephen’s hand. “I’m grateful to be included in your tradition, Stephen. I wanted you to know that I don’t take it for granted.”

Connor and Abby exited the exhibit – Connor’s mouth moving a mile a minute and Abby rolling her eyes at something he said. Nick felt equal parts relief and disappointment that the moment with Stephen was broken. They both stood and waited for the others to approach their bench. “Where to next?” Stephen said to Connor.

“The shop, of course!” Connor said. He only paused to clap both Nick and Stephen on the shoulder. “Isn’t this place bloody brilliant?”

“Brilliant,” Nick said to Connor’s back as he rushed off to the museum shop.

Abby gave them a knowing look before she followed Connor.

“This I’ve got to see,” Stephen said, rubbing his hands together.

When Nick stood looking into the shop, it was just as horrible as he’d expected. There were shelves of books proclaiming that Ancient Aliens had built the pyramids, t-shirts and sweatshirts with pyramids and little green men imprinted on them, coffee mugs and shot glasses, decks of cards and bookmarks. When Nick could bring himself to step inside, he found Stephen digging through a bin of key chains. He held up a ring from which dangled a plastic little green man and gave Nick a questioning look.

“You can’t be serious,” Nick said.

Stephen grinned. “I got something for you, too.” From under his arm Stephen drew a hat with a floppy brim that bore the museum’s logo and name.

Nick shook his head. “No, absolutely not, Stephen.”

Stephen tilted his head and studied the hat. “Just consider the irony of wearing this hat through an anomaly to the distant past. To a time before our alien overlords sent the asteroid that caused an extinction level event,” he added.

“I hate you,” Nick muttered, but he didn’t say anything while Stephen paid for the items.

When Stephen and Nick approached Connor and Abby to let them know they were going to wait for them outside, Abby’s arms were loaded down with books while Connor tried on a t-shirt. “What do you think?” Connor said.

“The color suits you,” Nick said, and Connor beamed.

They waited until they were outside to share a laugh at Connor’s unbridled excitement. The day had warmed up, so Stephen removed the button-down shirt and tied it around his waist before sitting on the top step. Nick shrugged out of his jacket and sat beside Stephen. They sat in silence while the sun warmed their shoulders, speaking only when something caught their eye or came to mind.

Nick wasn’t surprised at the comfort of being in Stephen’s company, but it had been a while since he’d allowed himself to experience it, and it felt like coming home after a long time away.

Connor was practically bouncing when he and Abby met them on the steps. “I bought you both something!” he said, gesturing with one of the two stuffed bags he carried.

“You shouldn’t have,” Nick said dryly.

Stephen muffled a laugh in his arm and turned it into a not-very-convincing cough.

They went to a restaurant Connor chose for a late lunch and Stephen bought Nick the pint he’d promised earlier. Connor was overflowing with excited chatter about the museum, and despite his disbelief, Nick let the sound of Connor’s excitement wash over him. After their meal they all went to a movie that Nick didn’t remember much about because all he could recall was the warmth of Stephen’s arm along his on the arm rest, and the way their fingers brushed when they both reached into the popcorn bucket at the same time.

They parted ways with Connor and Abby outside the theater, but instead of driving directly back to the ARC, Stephen stopped at the Red Rooster where they had another pint and watched the snooker match on the big screen telly. It was late when they returned to the ARC. There was a skeleton crew working because an anomaly could open at anytime and someone needed to monitor the equipment. The few people they passed nodded to them or offered a quick greeting, but aside from that paid them little mind.

Nick, on the other hand, felt like he was jumping out of his skin. There was no logical reason for it that Nick could discern. Stephen walking at his side, or stopping by for a nightcap after a point at the pub was as natural as rain in autumn, but this felt like _more_.

“I can’t offer you a nightcap,” Nick said, trying for rueful and hoping that Stephen couldn’t hear the nerves in his voice.

Stephen shrugged. “It’s been a good day. I’m just not ready for it to end, I guess.”

Nick wasn’t ready, either, if he was honest with himself. He just didn’t know why. He’d never had a problem calling it a night before, whether that meant leaving Stephen at the pub to catch a taxi home, or asleep on Nick’s sofa. Maybe it was because he was stuck in ARC quarters, which weren’t a very homey place to return to, and still a little bit raw from Stephen’s death and the emotions at having him alive again in this time.

Stephen leaned against the door frame when they reached Nick’s quarters, allowing him to open the door. “I left your hat in the car,” he said suddenly.

“Stephen,” Nick said.

Stephen closed his eyes and smiled at Nick’s dismay.

“You’re not funny,” Nick said as he pushed the door further open.

“I’m a little bit funny,” Stephen said.

When Nick’s gaze found Stephen’s face again, his eyes were open and focused on Nick. Stephen’s regard was intent, and Nick felt like a bug under a microscope. There was an eye lash on Stephen’s cheek, and Nick, thankful for the distraction, reached out to wipe it away. Stephen’s lashes fluttered as he watched Nick’s approaching hand. Instead of brushing it away, Nick picked it up on the tip of his finger. Stephen’s skin was warm, but Nick felt like it was his skin on fire.

“Make a wish,” Nick said, his voice gone rough.

Stephen didn’t look way to glance at Nick’s finger, but kept eyes gone a deeper blue fixed on Nick’s own. Gazes locked, Stephen reached out to take hold of Nick’s hand, and drew it near his face. Nick swallowed hard, his gaze trapped by Stephen’s eyes as Stephen leaned forward and pursed his lips. He blew out a breath, warm air feathering over Nick’s finger as the lash floated away, caught in the current.

Nick’s entire body tingled as if he’d touched a live wire. Stephen gave Nick’s hand a tug and Nick took a step forward. Stephen looked surprised, like he hasn’t been sure that would work, and then predatory, even though he was the one caught between Nick in front of him and the wall at his back.

Stephen kept a hold on Nick’s hand, and slid his other along Nick’s shoulder until it curled around the back of his neck. Nick shivered at the touch, Stephen’s fingers a brand against Nick’s already overheated skin.

“Tell me now if you don’t want this,” Stephen said, his voice deep, husky.

Want what? Nick thought, and then Stephen’s lips brushed across his.

Oh, Nick thought, his muscles going stiff with realization. Then, oh! Nick pressed in closer, his front flush with Stephen’s, and moved his lips against Stephen’s.

Stephen had appeared relaxed, confident, but he hadn’t been, because he melted at the reciprocation, went soft and pliant against Nick, which made Nick want to get even closer, to let Stephen fill the areas where he’d been cracked wide open and soften his rough edges.

Stephen’s fingers tugged on the hair at the nape of Nick’s neck. When Nick sought to deepen the kiss, his body moving against Nick, a soft, broken moan filling his throat. Nick broke off the kiss and pressed his mouth to Stephen’s throat, felt the moan vibrate through his lips.

“Nick,” Stephen gasped as Nick brushed kisses against his throat.

Nick raised his head. His first thought when he saw Stephen’s face, the wrecked expression, was to wonder if his eyes had gone as dark as Stephen’s. “What, Stephen?” Nick said, the words coming to his tongue with difficulty.

“I don’t want to go home tonight,” Stephen said.

Nick stood uncertain for a moment, and then Stephen’s meaning crashed into him like a wave. “Bloody hell, Stephen,” Nick said. “Why . . . ?”

Why are we doing this? Why now? Why didn’t we do this before?

Instead of voicing those questions, Nick maneuvered Stephen into the room he’d called home for the last month. He kicked the door shut and pushed Stephen up against it, pressed their bodies together. Stephen grunted, and Nick thought he’d gone too far, but Stephen tightened his hold on Nick’s neck when he started to pull back and put some space between them.

Stephen made a sound of protest that changed to something entirely different when Nick dragged his hand down Stephen’s back and rested it on his hip. “Nick,” Stephen said, his voice broken and needy.

Nick had never heard Stephen sound like that. Had never thought he wanted to.

“Last chance,” Nick said as he pushed Stephen’s button-down shirt off his shoulders. Stephen had put it back on to ward off the chilled night air, but hadn’t bothered to button it, which came in handy now.

Stephen laughed, but there was a brittle edge to it. “I should be telling you that,” he said as he helped Nick get himself out of his shirt. Stephen released Nick’s hand to do so, and the air felt cool against the dampness that had sprung up where their skin had touched.

While Stephen pulled the shirt off his arms, Nick dropped his hands back to Stephen’s hips and dragged them up, nerve endings firing as the sensation of rough denim became soft cotton became hot, smooth skin as Nick raised the hem of Stephen’s t-shirt. Stephen made a desperate sound as Nick’s fingers brushed his skin. Nick felt a surge of pleasure that he’d been able to drag that sound out of him.

Nick stepped back as Stephen lifted the t-shirt over his head so he didn’t get an elbow in the face. He used the opportunity to let his own jacket slide off his shoulders and slip to the floor. Stephen’s eyes were wide, his hair mussed. Nick couldn’t resist putting his fingers through it. Stephen’s eyes fell shut and his hands went to Nick’s hips for support.

Stephen’s hair was soft against Nick’s palm, with the occasional spike from the product he’d used that morning. Stephen’s fingers left a trail of fire on Nick’s skin as he slipped his hands beneath Nick’s shirt. Nick had a moment of hesitation when his own shirt came off. It had been a while since he’d been naked with anyone outside of the showers in the locker room. If Stephen noticed, he didn’t say anything, just ran his hands across Nick’s chest.

Stephen brushed his fingers across Nick’s nipples, drawing a shiver from Nick as they hardened, before hooking his hands over Nick’s shoulder so he could press a hard kiss to his lips. Stephen slid his arms around Nick’s neck and gentled the kiss. He coaxed Nick’s lips open and slipped his tongue inside. Nick remembered this, kissing, and it was no different kissing Stephen than it had been to kiss anyone else.

Aside from the stubble on his chin, the hard planes of his body as they pressed tightly together.

Nick touched his tongue to Stephen’s and the effect was electric, as if every part of his body had been shocked back to life. Nick didn’t know which one of them started it, but the kiss deepened. It became hungry, desperate. Need coursed through Nick and he thrust his hips against Stephen’s. Stephen moaned into Nick’s mouth and pushed back, their hips finding a natural rhythm, as if they’d done this before, a familiar push-pull that defined much of their relationship.

Their rhythm was interrupted when Stephen released Nick and dropped his hands to his waistband.

“Wha–?” Nick managed.

“I’m not going to come in my shorts like a bloody teenager,” Stephen said. He jerked his chin at Nick. “Come on, you, too.”

Nick couldn’t deny the logic, but he couldn’t imagine how this wouldn’t be awkward. He undid his jeans and pushed them down over his hips. Stephen reclaimed Nick’s mouth before placing his hands on Nick’s ass and pulling him close. Nick waited for the expected feeling of revulsion, of *wrongness*, but it never came. He felt the unfamiliar press of Stephen’s erection against his stomach, but there was also the perfect cradle of Stephen’s hip to thrust against, and the dance of Stephen’s tongue in his mouth, and any discomfort with the situation that Nick thought he might feel was subsumed by the electric pleasure as they moved together until their hips stuttered when they fell out of rhythm, their kiss became more a simple sharing of breath, and they both came, spattering their release across both their stomachs.

Stephen insisted that they shower together, which had been a mistake. He’d been insistent that Nick could come again despite Nick’s assurances to the contrary. So they’d made a wager, which Nick lost, if coming his brains out could be considered losing. Stephen’s hand slippery with soap on his prick, his erection pressing into Nick’s ass, his lips teasing the sensitive skin of Nicks’ neck, were all too much for even Nick’s body to resist. And now Nick lay on the bed unable to even think about moving, every muscle as limp as a wet noodle. He hoped to hell that the anomaly alarm didn’t sound.

And now that his hormones had calmed down, Nick couldn’t help but wonder if this had been a mistake. He wasn’t even sure why it had happened, and what if it ruined their friendship?

“You’re thinking way too loudly,” Stephen groaned from his position lying half on top of Nick. The small double bed the ARC provided was barely large enough for one fully grown man, much less two.

“No I’m not,” Nick denied.

Stephen raised his head and set his chin on the back of the hand he’d splayed across Nick’s chest. “Talk to me.”

“What did we just do?” Nick said.

“Pretty sure you’ve had the birds and the bees talk, Cutter,” Stephen said.

“Not what I meant, Stephen,” Nick said, absently sliding his hand down the expanse of Stephen’s back and resting it on the curve of his ass. Stephen’s eyes went cloudy and Nick thought, I did that.

Nick shook the thought away and continued. “We weren’t like this before, not in my time. I didn’t . . . think about you then the way I think about you now.” He touched the tips of his fingers to Stephen’s face. “I didn’t _notice_ you the way I notice you now. And you didn’t notice me, either.”

Stephen shrugged. “People change, grow.”

“Hmm,” Nick said as he played with Stephen’s fingers. “You don’t think it’s something to do with the anomalies, do you?”

“You think the anomalies made you gay?” Stephen said wryly.

“It sounds stupid when you say it like that,” Nick said.

Stephen laughed, and then settled his head back on Nick’s shoulder and fell silent, leaving Nick to his thoughts. Just when Nick thought he’d fallen asleep, Stephen said, “I noticed you.”

“What? No you didn’t. Stephen?”

Stephen didn’t reply. Nick stared up at the ceiling in the dark and wondered what tells he might have missed. He didn’t remember falling asleep, but he must have because he was woken by Stephen’s mouth on him. Nick thrust up in surprise, then said, “Sorry, sorry,” when he realized what he’d done.

Nick threw the blankets back and saw Stephen’s head bobbing on his prick. “Stephen,” he said, his voice a dry croak.

Stephen glanced up at him, then closed his eyes, lashes fanning out over his cheeks, and continued his efforts to make Nick fall apart. Nick slid his fingers into Stephen’s hair and tugged gently in an effort to keep from giving in to the urge to force his head down.

Stephen looked up at Nick again while he moved up and down Nick’s shaft, then raised off to say, “Make me take it, I don’t mind,” before covering Nick with his mouth once more.

“Bloody hell, Stephen,” Nick groaned. “You can’t just say that to a man!”

Stephen’s eyes held amusement at Nick’s expense. Between that and the sensation as the head of his prick slid down Stephen’s throat, something snapped inside of him. Nick tightened his grip on Stephen’s hair and used the grip to lift his head until just the head of his prick rested on Stephen’s tongue. He raised his hips, fucking into Stephen’s mouth.

Stephen moaned, and his own hips worked against the mattress. Nick realized that Stephen was enjoying this. “Fucking hell,” Nick groaned, his hips moving faster, his prick sliding in deeper until he felt Stephen’s throat close around him again.

Nick came embarrassingly fast after that, despite the fact that he’d come twice the night before. Time stopped while Nick was frozen in a moment of pleasure that seemed to go on forever. The real world came crashing back on him suddenly – Nick felt like he’d gone three rounds with a velociraptor and he had to push Stephen off of his now too-sensitive prick.

Stephen climbed back up Nick’s body and smirked down at him. “You look wasted,” he said, sounding much too satisfied with himself.

“I’ll show you wasted,” Nick began huffily, then stopped. “I don’t know how to do that, what you did, I might not be any good at it.”

“I don’t think there’ll be any time for you to practice today,” Stephen said, his voice going strained as he pressed his erection into Nick’s hip. A pained expression replaced the smirk.

“What can I do?” Nick said. “Stephen.”

“Your hand,” Stephen said. “Just . . . just put your hand on me, Nick, please.”

Nick fumbled between them, and Stephen halted the movement of his hips long enough to raise up so Nick could curl clumsy fingers around him. Stephen made a sound like he was dying when Nick touched him. Stephen pressed his forehead against Nick’s shoulder and wrapped his own fingers around Nick’s. “Tighter,” he said.

Nick followed Stephen’s instruction and gripped him firmly. At the sound Stephen made, Nick would’ve thought he was hurting him if Stephen’s fingers weren’t still clenched tightly around his, making it impossible for Nick to release him.

Stephen started moving, his prick sliding through Nick’s fist, and the words tumbled out of him. “Nick . . . your hand . . . feels so good . . . fuck.”

Now Stephen sounded wasted, and Nick couldn’t help the surge of satisfaction at knowing he’d done that. “I’ve got you, Stephen,” Nick said. Stephen groaned. Nick turned his head so his mouth was closer to Stephen’s ear. “Are you going to come for me, Stephen?”

Stephen’s groan grew louder. He raised his head so he could bite down on Nick’s shoulder to muffle the sounds he was making. Nick squeezed his hand just a little bit and Stephen’s eyes rolled in his head. His body going suddenly still and tense was the only warning Nick got before Stephen’s prick pulsed in his hand and spilled release over Nick’s fingers and his belly.

~*~

Nick insisted they shower separately this time. Stephen gave Nick a knowing grin before he disappeared into the bathroom and started the shower. Nick stared at the ceiling and contemplated what the heck he and Stephen had just gotten themselves into. His navel-gazing was interrupted by the splat of a cold flannel on his stomach.

“Stephen!” Nick bellowed as he quickly grabbed it up.

Stephen’s snickers could be heard over the sound of the running water. Nick got him back by taking a piss and flushing the toilet while Stephen was still in the shower. Nick smirked at his reflection in the mirror above the sink at Stephen’s startled yelp.

Stephen left Nick alone to shower while he went to the locker room to change into an extra uniform he kept in his locker, but not before he gave Nick a kiss that made Nick’s toes curl.

Nick somehow managed to beat Stephen to the cafeteria. He was picking at the cooling eggs with little interest while listening to Connor and Abby. Finally Stephen arrived. Nick didn’t see him at first, but the hairs on his arms stood up as if he’d been exposed to static electricity and somehow he just *knew*.

When Stephen moved into view, Nick saw that he was speaking with Becker, which must’ve been what held him up.

“Crap,” Connor groaned.

Abby responded, but Nick didn’t hear what they were saying. He couldn’t take his eyes off Stephen’s wet hair. It was an innocent enough thing, but it reminded Nick of everything they’d done since Stephen walked Nick to his quarters the night before.

Stephen and Becker separated. Stephen gave their table a wave before he went up to fill his tray. The bite mark on Nick’s shoulder throbbed.

“What did Becker want?” Connor said before Stephen had even taken the empty seat beside Nick.

“I’ll give you two guesses,” Stephen said. “And the first two don’t count.”

“Damn it,” Connor said, resigned.

“What does that mean?” Nick said.

“Team training,” Stephen said. “After what happened last week, Becker feels like he’s been neglecting our training.”

“I didn’t feel neglected,” Connor said.

While he’d been speaking, Stephen had transferred a fresh-from-the-oven biscuit onto Nick’s tray, along with some butter and jam.

“Where’s our biscuits?” Connor said.

“You can get your own biscuit,” Stephen said.

To take attention away from him and the heat he felt creeping up his neck, Nick said, “What kind of training?”

“Self-defense. Weapons training,” Stephen said. “It’ll be fun.”

“Woohoo,” Abby said dryly.

“Yeah, fun,” Connor said, but at least he was thinking about the dreaded training now, and not what was behind Stephen’s gesture in bringing Nick a biscuit.

~*~

Despite her unenthusiastic ‘woohoo’, Abby was a lot better at self-defense and weapons training than she’d let on. Connor was just as bad as Nick had expected – the only time he put his attacker down was when he accidentally tripped him, and he probably wouldn’t be able to hit the broad side of a barn with a handgun.

“He’s getting better,” Stephen commented as he and Nick studied the scattering of holes in the paper target, only a few of which had made it inside the lines.

“That’s better?” Nick said.

“I’m better with a tranq gun,” Connor said.

“The thought of shooting someone with a live round makes him nervous,” Abby said.

“As long as he knows how to fire it,” Becker said. He clapped Connor on the shoulder, then looked at Nick and Stephen. “You two are up.”

Nick hated that the grip of the Sig felt so familiar in his hand, that he’d gotten so good at this. He was a scientist, not a soldier. Nick pushed the doubts aside and put on his ear muffs, then loaded the gun. He emptied the magazine into a paper target, then ran it in so he could check how he’d done.

Nick set up a second target, loaded a full magazine, and got into his stance. Nick knew that Stephen was in the next lane, but he couldn’t see him, and he could almost pretend he was alone. He fell into a rhythm that made him forget the training in the gym, how his body had reacted to the sight of Stephen’s flushed, sweaty skin, and the bare strip of skin when Stephen lifted up the hem off his t-shirt to wipe sweat off his brow.

When they were done in the range, Becker sent them to the showers.

“No more training?” Nick said.

“That’s it for today,” Becker said.

Connor groaned.

“What?” Nick said.

“Meet me in the gym tomorrow for another session,” Becker said, then wheeled and left them standing there.

They separated to go shower and change because all of Nick’s clothes were in his quarters, while changes of clothes for the others were in their lockers.

Lunch was a more subdued affair than usual because they were all a bit tired from training. Before Nick could wonder how he’d be spending his afternoon, Claudia’s assistant appeared at his elbow and informed him that Claudia would like to see him as soon as he finished his lunch.

“Cutter,” Claudia greeted Nick when he entered her office after knocking on the doorframe. She gestured towards a chair across the desk from her.

“I know you’re going to want to interrupt me before I finish; curb that impulse.” Claudia waited until Nick mimed locking his lips. She rolled her eyes and continued. “We have counselors on staff.” She glared at Nick, and his lips, which had parted to speak the thought that immediately sprang to mind – I don’t need counseling – closed.

“They serve many purposes, including grief counseling. They’re especially busy after an incident like the one that occurred last week. Captain Becker and his team were given a mandatory session. The others present at the site received an e-mail strongly urging them to take advantage of the counselors, and everyone else who works at the ARC was also sent a reminder. You don’t have an account, so you didn’t receive either e–mail.”

Claudia slid a piece of paper across the desk; Nick leaned forward to take it. “What’s this?”

“Your ARC e-mail address and password, which you can change,” Claudia said.

“Okay,” Nick said.

“This,” Claudia said, sliding across what looked like a business card, “is an appointment with Dr. Peters. I took the liberty of making one for you.”

“You just said that the counseling was only mandatory for Captain Becker and his men who were trapped on the other side of the anomaly.”

“Correct,” Claudia said. “This isn’t because of that. This is because you stepped through an anomaly into a different timeline.”

“But . . .”

“I know what you told me,” Claudia said, “that Stephen being alive here makes it a _better_ timeline for you, but it’s still a huge upheaval, and will be a huge adjustment. I was remiss in not making you speak to someone before now because I couldn’t see past my own feelings on you being here.”

Only the fact that he could see how difficult it was for Claudia to admit that kept Nick from arguing further.

“I’m correcting that now.” Claudia touched the tips of her fingers to the edge of the card and gave it a little push.

Nick wanted to argue, but if he was honest with himself, he could’ve used someone to talk to the first time, and, even though he didn’t feel like he needed it now, it wouldn’t hurt anything to humor Claudia. “When’s my appointment?” Nick said.

Claudia couldn’t hide the way her shoulders sagged in relief. She checked her watch. “Five minutes. Michael will direct you to Dr. Peters’ office.”

“Right now?” Nick said.

“I thought you’d prefer not having to dwell on it for days, and I also didn’t want to give you time to weasel out of it.”

“I wouldn’t have done that,” Nick said, but it sounded weak even to himself.

“Just in case you do think about skipping it, I should tell you that you’re grounded until you’re cleared by Dr. Peters.”

A huffy retort was on the tip of his tongue, but Claudia continued. “And she has the authority to request additional sessions, so don’t half-ass it.”

~*~

Nick was sitting on the floor in his quarters, his back against the bed, when Stephen’s knock sounded.

“Come in,” Nick called, but it came out with a crack and softer than he’d meant for it to.

Stephen must’ve heard anyway, because he pushed the door open and poked his head in. “Hey,” Stephen said when he saw Nick. “You missed dinner, and I . . . are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Nick said, but he knew he didn’t sound fine.

“You’re sitting on the floor in the dark,” Stephen said. He stepped inside and closed the door, turned on the overhead light. Nick squinted against it. “I don’t think you’re fine.”

Stephen sat next to Nick, close enough that their shoulders touched. He placed his hand on Nick’s leg. “What happened?”

“I saw Dr. Peters,” Nick said.

Stephen’s eyes went wide.

“You didn’t know?”

“No! I know I’m not technically your team leader, but I should’ve been informed. Claudia must’ve known I wouldn’t be able to keep something like that from you.”

Nick didn’t know why it was so important for him to hear that. “She looks like a kindly grandmother,” he said.

“I take it we’re not talking about Claudia anymore,” Stephen said.

Nick gave Stephen a look, and he grinned.

“She’s relentless, isn’t she?” Stephen said.

Nick shuddered. “Yes.”

“You can’t hide anything from her, and she doesn’t let you hide things from yourself.”

“No.”

“Were you hiding things?”

“Apparently,” Nick said.

“Do you want to tell me?”

Nick shook his head. “Not really, but I think I have to.”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Stephen assured him.

“I want to,” Nick said. “It’s just hard.”

“Take your time,” Stephen said.

Stephen’s assurance was followed by a moment of silence because Nick couldn’t make himself speak.

“I would’ve brought ice cream if I’d know you were having this kind of a day,” Stephen finally said.

Nick finally moved; he placed his hand over Stephen’s on his leg. “You’re enough.”

Nick thought Stephen might’ve fallen asleep before he worked up the courage to speak. “I’m afraid of losing you. Again.”

Nick could feel Stephen’s eyes on him, but couldn’t bring himself to turn his head and meet Stephen’s gaze. “I’m afraid of going through an anomaly and stepping into a time that doesn’t have you in it. Or you stepping through and never coming back.”

Stephen turned his hand under Nick’s so he could twine their fingers together and squeeze. “I’d like to promise that would never happen, but we both know it could. There’s only one way to make sure it never does.”

Nick turned his head to look at Stephen. “What’s that?”

“We only ever go through together.”

“I think Claudia might have something to say about that,” Nick said dryly.

“She doesn’t need to know,” Stephen said. “You’re part of my team . . .”

“Civilian consultant,” Nick said.

“It’s only natural for the team to go through together.”

“Stephen,” Nick said, his voice thick.

Stephen twisted and straddled Nick’s lap. He took Nick’s face in both of his hands. “I don’t want to lose you again, either.”

Stephen pressed a gentle kiss to Nick’s mouth. Nick parted his lips and invited Stephen to deepen the kiss. The kiss remained a gentle exploration until suddenly it changed, became hungry, tinged with desperation. Nick’s hands clutched at Stephen’s hips, slid up his sides. As the kiss deepened, Nick’s hands became more insistent. He rucked up the hem of Stephen’s shirt until he could get his hands beneath, run them over warm skin. He urged Stephen down until their hips met. Stephen moaned into Nick’s mouth as they moved together.

Nick put his arm around Stephen and silently vowed that he wouldn’t let him go this time.

~*~

The next morning’s training session consisted of a no-holds-barred game of paint ball. Nick was resigned to losing handily when Becker announced that it would be Stephen’s team against his own. On top of being Special Forces soldiers, it was six to four, which Nick thought was adding insult to injury. To Nick’s surprise, they won.

When the game was over, Connor’s eyes shown with a wild brightness. “Yes!” he fist pumped, then held his fist out for Abby to bump.

“Better luck next time,” Connor said to Becker.

“Bite me, Connor,” Becker said, which made Connor and Abby laugh.

Stephen gave Nick a knowing grin.

“You knew that was going to happen?” Nick said, still in shock. “Are you telling me that _everyone_ knew that was going to happen?”

“Don’t rub it in, Cutter,” Becker said, but he was amused at Nick’s reaction.

“How can you be so bad at hitting a paper target, and so good at this?” Nick said to Connor.

“I told you,” Connor said. “I’m not good with live ammo. But I’m aces at video games.”

~*~

Nick spent most of the next few days going over all the information they’d put together on Helen. He was determined to figure out where she was, and what she was doing, and how to keep her from screwing up his life any more than she already had. Duncan split his time between helping Nick and assisting Connor with the artifact that could open anomalies.

Stephen spent his time in the gym, training with Becker’s team, in the weight room, at the range, and in meetings with Claudia looking for some kind of pattern with the anomalies. What free time he could scrape together was spent giving Nick tours of the ARC.

“I didn’t know there were this many closets in the ARC,” Nick said breathlessly when they broke the kiss.

“Neither did I,” Stephen said. “It’s important to know one’s environment.”

Nick snorted. “I’m not sure anyone’s going to buy that excuse.”

Stephen cracked the door open and peered out into the hall, then stepped out and motioned Nick to follow him. They were ten yards away from the closet and talking about Stephen’s research on the anomalies when they met someone. Despite the innocence of their current situation, Nick felt heat rising in his cheeks.

Stephen greeted the woman easily, even as his knuckles brushed Nick’s. Nick didn’t jerk his hand away, but it was a near thing because the touch sent an electric jolt through him. When they’d safely passed the woman, Nick glared at Stephen, who threw him an insouciant grin and curled his pinky finger around Nick’s before releasing him and pulling his hand away.

During that time there had only been one anomaly, and Matt Anderson’s team had been called out on it. Nick wasn’t used to having more than one team to handle the anomalies, or being left behind and having to rely on reports from the field to know what was going on.

“It’s nerve wracking, isn’t it?” Stephen said while they sat in the cafeteria and picked at their lunch. “I’ve got something that’ll take your mind off of it.”

Nick’s eyes went wide with shocked disbelief and his skin went hot. Stephen coughed when Nick turned red face and wide eyes on him.

“I meant . . . Claudia wants to see you,” Stephen choked out.

“Bloody hell, Stephen,” Nick muttered as they left the cafeteria.

“I didn’t know you were going to jump to that conclusion!”

“What was that all about?” Connor said behind them.

“I don’t know,” Abby said, her tone implying that she was going to find out.

~*~

Nick wasn’t offered a seat in Claudia’s office. She shoved a pile of papers at him and told him to sign them.

“I’ve already sighed the Official Secrets Act,” Nick said when he saw it sitting on top of the pile.

“Not here, you didn’t,” Claudia said. “And before you argue, Lester is adamant that you sign the Act before you’ll be allowed to live off-base.”

“Live . . . off-base?” Nick repeated.

Claudia sighed. “Didn’t Stephen tell you?”

Both Claudia and Nick glared at Stephen, who grinned back. “Surprise!” he said.

“Stephen said he had a room for you until you found a place of your own,” Claudia went on. She said something about paychecks and bank accounts and drivers licenses, but Nick had stopped listening. All he could think about was kissing that grin off Stephen’s face.

Nick signed the papers and took the cards that Claudia shoved into his hand – a license, a debit card for the bank, a credit card. He shook Claudia’s hand, ignored the, “Good luck,” she threw to Stephen, promised to stay out of trouble, and then led the way out of her office.

In the hallway, Nick looked both ways before he grabbed Stephen’s hand and dragged him down the corridor. A right, another right, a left, and if Nick remembered correctly . . .

“Nick,” Stephen said, “what are you doing?”

Nick opened the door to the janitor’s closet and shoved Stephen inside.

“Oh,” Stephen said with a little puff of breath as his back hit the wall.

Nick made sure the door closed all the way – experience was an excellent teacher in that regard – and then he turned the full weight of his gaze on Stephen. “Stephen,” Nick said, and then paused. He couldn’t find the words to put voice to all the thoughts spinning in his head.

“Nick,” Stephen said.

“You . . .”

“I did. Are you mad?”

“What? No! I’m . . . overwhelmed. I’m . . .”

“Looking for a way to thank me?”

“Stephen,” Nick said, his voice going soft.

“Nick,” Stephen said, slipping an arm around Nick’s neck. “We’re alone in a closet. You’re not going to waste that, are you?”

Nick was _not_ going to waste that.


	3. Forging a Future

Nick did not move into Stephen’s flat that evening because the anomaly alarm went off while he was packing. He looked at Stephen, hoping that he was hearing things, but Stephen looked just as frustrated as Nick felt.

“Not wanting to explore an anomaly must be a first for me,” Nick groused as they headed for the staging room.

Stephen’s laugh of agreement was strained.

“Where is it?” Stephen asked as soon as they spotted Connor.

“Forest of Dean.” Connor said.

Nick felt as if the oxygen had been pulled out of the air. That’s where he’d come through to this time.

“Do we know what’s on the other side?” Nick said.

“Not yet,” Connor said. “So far nothing’s come through.”

“Are you alright?” Stephen said.

“I’m fine, Stephen,” Nick said, a little more sharply than he’d intended.

“Of course you are, Cutter,” Stephen said, an edge to his own tone.

Stephen turned away from Nick to gear up and load up. Nick was more intent on the buckles on his holster than they required. He wanted to set things right with Stephen, but he didn’t know how. The fact of their friction churned in his gut as they got in the SUVs and pulled out, while Stephen negotiated traffic until they could get to the highway.

Connor was keeping track of the strength of the anomaly, and while he and Abby were talking, Nick moved his hand towards Stephen to get his attention. Stephen’s brows were pulled together when he looked at Nick, but there was concern in his eyes that overrode his irritation.

“Don’t go through without me,” Nick said.

Stephen’s face cleared. “I won’t,” he promised.

The drive was mostly silent, except for Connor’s running commentary, but much less strained. In the end, it was all for nothing, because the anomaly closed before they even got there. They continued on because they needed to at least confirm that nothing had come through that they’d need to track down.

Connor found the spot where the residual magnetic field was strongest, and Stephen studied the ground for signs that anything had come through. He finally stood and said, “Nothing.”

“Are you sure?” Nick said.

Stephen gave him a look. “What are you thinking?”

Nick took a deep breath and spoke her name as if he was afraid of calling her forth. “Helen.”

“You think Helen’s behind this?” Becker said.

“I don’t know,” Nick said, “but it feels strange, the anomaly opening here again. How long did the anomaly stay open last time?”

“Two days,” Connor said.

“It closed pretty quickly this time,” Nick said.

“And what are the chances that an anomaly opens twice in the same spot?”

“Pretty good, actually,” Connor said, “since the magnetic field is already present.”

“How often _does_ it happen?”

“Not often,” Stephen said.

“I just think we should be cautious, is all,” Nick said.

“Wow, you are a different Nick,” Becker said, but he moved off and started directing his men to keep an eye on the spot where the anomaly had opened, and the surrounding area. They were to be on the lookout for any escaped creatures and Helen.

Stephen gave Nick’s shoulder a pat, then turned away to call Claudia. Nick looked at the ground in front of the anomaly location, but he couldn’t tell if anything (or anyone) had stepped through it. He’d never been as good a tracker as Stephen.

I’m not the same, Nick thought. He couldn’t be. He’d lost Stephen in a time when he hadn’t yet realized how much that would hurt. But now he knew, and he wasn’t going to let it happen again, not if he could help it.

They spent the night to guard and monitor the anomaly. It didn’t reopen, and nothing (no one) returned to it. No anomalies were opened anywhere else. It was quiet, but certainly not relaxing because everyone was on pins and needles waiting for something to happen.

The drive back to the ARC was quiet; even Connor was subdued. They unloaded the truck and then they all went to Claudia’s office. Matt Anderson was already there, and Captain Becker came in right behind them. The room was crowded, but most of them found a place to sit or perch. Nick was too agitated to sit, so he remained standing.

“I want everyone on the same page when it comes to Helen,” Claudia said briskly. “There haven’t been any sightings of her since you came through,” she directed to Nick. “Which I’d ordinarily be glad of, but now just makes me wonder what the bloody hell she’s up to.”

Claudia let that sink in a moment, then said to Nick, “What do you know?”

“I don’t _know_ anything,” Nick said. “It was just . . . a feeling. I don’t have any reason to believe that Helen was behind my being here. I’m sure she’d think it was amusing to drop me in a world where I’d been the one who believed her, trusted her, but not . . .” Nick swallowed hard. “Not if it meant giving Stephen back to me.”

Nick couldn’t look to see anyone else’s reaction to that; he kept his eyes on Claudia. “All I know is that she was doing time experiments. I don’t know where the natural effects of the anomalies end and Helen’s manipulations begin.”

Claudia thought about that for a moment. “Are we sure nothing came through?”

“I didn’t see any signs of it,” Stephen said. “You could send someone else . . .”

“There’s no one better at tracking than Stephen,” Matt cut in. “If he didn’t see it, there’s nothing there to see.”

Claudia nodded her agreement, and Nick felt a small swell of pride. “Connor,” she said. “What can you tell us about the anomaly?”

“It stayed open for one hour and thirty-six minutes and had a pretty powerful magnetic field.”

“Longer than someone needs to come through,” Claudia said.

“Not if they were trying to hide it,” Abby said.

“Do you think she’d just leave the anomaly open so anything could come through?” Claudia said.

“She led a future predator through to my time,” Nick said.

“She did the same here,” Becker said.

“Alright,” Claudia said. “So what do we do now?”

“We can’t trust Helen,” Stephen said.

“That the anomaly opened in that particular spot is . . . odd,” Nick said.

“The anomaly closing before we got to check it out isn’t unheard of, but also not the norm,” Connor said.

“Nothing came through,” Abby said. “Again, not unheard of, but unusual.”

“So we’ve got a suspicious anomaly with nothing tangible to back up our suspicions,” Claudia summarized.

“Pretty much,” Stephen agreed.

Claudia sighed. “Alright. I want everyone to be especially alert when you go out there. I’ll talk to Lester. You guys look like you could use some sleep, so get out of here.”

They all left Claudia’s office. As they walked down the hallway towards the stairs, Matt moved next to Connor.

“Connor, I wanted to thank you for the work you and Duncan did with that artifact.”

“Oh,” Connor said. “Sure. Just doing my job.”

“I mean it,” Matt said. “It could’ve been anyone of us trapped on the other side of that anomaly. You did good.”

“Thanks,” Connor said, ducking his head at the praise.

Matt clapped his hand on Connor’s shoulder, then dropped back to walk beside Becker. At the bottom of the stairs they all separated and went their own way – Connor and Abby to check on their labs before heading home, Nick and Stephen towards Nick’s quarters, and Becker and Matt in the direction of the locker rooms.

“What was that all about?” Nick said.

Stephen grinned. “I think Hillary has an admirer.”

“Really?” Nick looked behind them at the empty hallway as if it might hold the answer. “Hmm.”

Nick’s half-packed duffel bag sat in the middle of the bed. After yesterday, Nick wouldn’t blame Stephen if he was having second thoughts about letting Nick stay with him. “Stephen.”

“Finish packing your bag, Nick,” Stephen said. To make his point he tossed a folded pair of socks at Nick that hit him in the face.

Nick grabbed the socks before they hit the floor. “Stephen . . .” He blinked when a second pair hit him in the face. “Damn it, Stephen,” Nick growled.

Nick threw the socks towards the duffel, then grabbed Stephen by the arms as if he might shake some sense into him. “Yesterday, I was . . .”

“Uncommunicative? Grouchy?” Stephen filled in. “Nick,” he said, his voice going soft in a way that made Nick melt inside. “I know you. I know all the parts of you, the good and the . . . not so good. And I fell in love with you anyway.”

“Stephen,” Nick said, breathless. He felt like all the air had been squeezed out of his lungs. “Stephen,” he tried again.

Stephen’s smile was almost shy, which was something Nick never thought in association with Stephen. “Does that surprise you?”

“A little bit,” Nick admitted.

“You thought I was just using you for your body?” Stephen said wryly.

Nick huffed a laugh. “Never that.”

“Nick,” Stephen said again.

Nick touched his palm to Stephen’s face. “You need to stop saying my name like that.”

“Why, does it make you hard?” Stephen teased.

Nick shrugged. “A little, actually,” he admitted. “But it mostly makes me go soft.”

Stephen’s eyebrows went up. “Not in my experience.”

A short laugh burst out of Nick. “Ass,” he said. “I meant here.” Nick touched the hand not on Stephen’s face to his chest. “I get all mushy.”

Stephen’s smile at that was pleased. “Nick Cutter, mushy inside, who’d have thought it.”

“Not me,” Nick said. He swallowed, his throat felt thick. “Not me,” he said again, and then he kissed Stephen.

Stephen moaned and slipped his arms around Nick. Nick placed one hand between Stephen’s shoulder blades and kept the other light against the side of Stephen’s face. The kiss was desperate, but not in a hungry, physical way. Desperate because Nick was trying to tell Stephen what he couldn’t yet put into words.

When they broke the kiss to breathe, Stephen said, “My bed’s bigger than this one.”

“As long as you’re in it, that’s all that matters,” Nick said, but he released Stephen to toss the rest of his meager possessions into the duffel.

“Sap,” Stephen said as he rolled t-shirts and shorts and handed them to Nick to add to the bag.

Nick put on his jacket and looped the strap over his shoulder. As they walked shoulder to shoulder, he had to remind himself not to reach out and take Stephen’s hand. They passed a few people on the way to the employee entrance, and Nick self-consciously licked his lips, wondering if they looked as swollen as they felt.

The ride to Stephen’s flat was full of anticipation. Not merely for the immediate future, which Nick hoped would include Stephen’s bed and lots of nakedness, but for the day after that, and the week after that . . .

Stephen reached out and touched Nick’s hand. “Stop worrying,” he said.

Nick huffed a laugh. “I’m sorry, have you met me?”

“Twice,” Stephen said, and then gave Nick a sheepish grin.

“That was bad, Stephen.”

“I know.”

But it had lightened Nick’s mood.

~*~

Stephen’s bed _was_ bigger than the one in Nick’s quarters. And also a hundred times more comfortable. Nick was out the moment his head touched the pillow. When he woke up he’d been covered with a blanket and Stephen was curled up beside him.

Nick bit back a groan because he didn’t want to wake Stephen. He couldn’t believe he’d fallen asleep when getting naked with Stephen had been an option. Nick tried to console himself with the fact that they’d both obviously needed the sleep.

Nick thought about getting up and doing . . . something, but he didn’t want to disturb Stephen. Besides, he was warm, and he liked the way Stephen felt pressed against him. Nick closed his eyes.

The next time Nick woke was at the insistence of his bladder. He disentangled himself from Stephen and slipped out from under the blanket. Stephen’s hand groped for him. Nick caught it and placed it beneath the blanket. “Sorry, gotta piss.”

Stephen snorted, but his eyes didn’t open. Nick hadn’t been in Stephen’s flat since the whole thing with Helen, but he remembered where the toilet was. When Nick returned to the bedroom, Stephen blinked drowsily at him. Nick slipped beneath the blanket Stephen held up and slid his hand beneath the hem of Stephen’s t-shirt.

Stephen jolted at the touch. “Your hand’s bloody cold!”

“The water was cold,” Nick explained, sliding his hand higher along the heat along Stephen’s spine.

“Takes a while to warm up,” Stephen said.

“What about you, Stephen?” Nick said. “Do you take a while to warm up?”

“Fuck you, Cutter,” Stephen said. “You’re the one who fell asleep on me.”

Nick cut short Stephen’s tirade with a kiss.

~*~

Later, with sweat and come drying on his skin, muscles heavy with lethargy, scalp still tingling from the strength of his orgasm, Nick stared at the ceiling and tried to remember the last time he’d felt this good. Stephen leaned over Nick, his face blocking the view of the ceiling.

“Christ, you look smug,” Stephen said.

Nick grinned.

“And smugger yet,” Stephen mused. “I don’t think I’ve seen you look this smug since you disapproved Dr. Blatterby’s paper on evolutionary history that relied on the ancient aliens theory.”

Nick barked a laugh. “That was a very good moment,” he agreed. “This is better.”

Stephen’s face went soft. “Sweet talker.”

~*~

They showered. Separately, at Nick’s insistence. “My legs’ll barely hold me up as it is, much less if you get it into your head to try anything . . . athletic in the shower.”

Stephen laughed, but left Nick in the bed to go take the first shower. Nick enjoyed the view until Stephen disappeared from sight.

The bathroom was full of warm steam when they switched places, and Nick took his time letting the hot water beat down on his shoulders. When he was dressed in clean clothes, Nick found Stephen in the kitchen tying up a trash bag.

“I ordered take away,” Stephen said. “And emptied the fridge,” he added, indicating the trash bag.

There was something about watching Stephen do something so ordinarily mundane, his hair wet, his feet bare, that made Nick’s insides start to go mushy again. “I want to kiss you,” he said.

Stephen raised startled eyes to Nick’s, then turned them back to his task of putting a new bag in the trash can, a pleased smile on is face. “You can, you know. Anytime.”

“Now?” Nick said.

Stephen’s smile spread into a grin. “Now would be okay.”

Nick pulled Stephen away from his chore, crowded him against the refrigerator, and kissed him. When he drew back, he said, “What about now?”

Stephen laughed. “Now’s good, too.”

Nick kissed Stephen again, and again. Things might’ve gone further if the doorbell hadn’t rung.

“Bloody hell,” Nick said when he released Stephen. “I feel like a teenager. It’s not like I haven’t done this before.”

“You haven’t with me,” Stephen said, and left Nick to think about that while he went to open the door.

When Stephen returned with the food, Nick said, “How well will that reheat?”

Stephen stuck the bag in the recently cleaned-out fridge without question. “Let’s find out.”

~*~

When they arrived at the ARC the next morning, Stephen had a meeting with Claudia and the other team leaders, so Nick went to Abby’s lab to let her know he was there. The first words out of Abby’s mouth in response to Nick’s greeting was an arch, “You missed breakfast.”

Nick’s whole body went warm when his mind flashed on what he and Stephen had been doing instead of eating breakfast. “I’m sor–,” Nick began.

“We were worried about you,” Abby said.

“Abby, I am so sorry,” Nick said. “I didn’t mean to worry you. With the anomaly it slipped my mind to tell you that Claudia has given the okay for me to live off-base.”

“That’s wonderful!” Abby said as she gave Nick a hug, her irritation gone in an instant.

“Claudia arranged a driver’s license, a bank account, everything,” Nick went on.

“Have you found a place, then?”

“I’m staying with Stephen right now,” Nick said. He didn’t want to think about whether the arrangement was temporary or if Stephen wanted him to stay. He’d cleared out a drawer for Nick and offered to make more space once they’d done some shopping, but that didn’t mean that Stephen wanted Nick to remain a permanent presence in his flat.

“The reason we weren’t here for breakfast is because Stephen took me to get a phone.” Nick pulled the phone out of his jacket pocket. The burner phone was wrapped in a pair of shorts at the back of Nick’s drawer at Stephen’s just in case.

Nick held out the phone. “Would you put your number in it?”

“Am I the first?” Abby said as she snatched the phone out of Nick’s hand.

“Well, Stephen was with me when I got the phone.” Technically, Nick had been put on Stephen’s plan. “So he was the first. But you’re the second first. First adjacent.”

Abby grinned as she typed. “I guess being second to Stephen is alright.”

While Abby filled in her contact information, Nick tried to get Rex to land on his arm. Rex would come close, then chitter angrily at Nick and fly off to make a circle around the room before coming near again.

“He’s just fucking with you,” Abby said. “Knock it off, Rex.”

Rex chittered again, more of an acknowledgment, then landed on Abby’s shoulder and stared at Nick.

As Abby handed back Nick’s phone, she said, “So are we not doing breakfast together in the cafeteria anymore?” She tried for nonchalant, but Nick could tell that the answer was important to her.

“Did you used to meet for breakfast, or was that just because I was stuck here?”

“Because of you,” Abby said. “But I liked it.”

“I liked it, too,” Nick said. “Why don’t we plan team breakfasts, then? Maybe not everyday.” Nick flushed as he remembered that morning. “And maybe not always in the cafeteria.”

Abby gave Nick a pleased smile. “Sounds good. You think Stephen will agree?”

“I don’t see why he wouldn’t,” Nick said.

Impulsively, Nick gave Abby a hug. “I’m glad you’re the same here.”

“I’m glad you’re not,” Abby said.

~*~

“I can’t believe I’m third,” Connor said, holding his hand out and waggling his fingers.

Nick obligingly put his phone in Connor’s hand.

“Abby told me why you missed breakfast,” Connor said as he typed. “Congratulations on getting out of here. If things don’t work out with Stephen . . .”

Nick’s heart lurched in his chest.

“. . . you could always move in with Abby and me. It’ll be like University all over again.”

“That sounds like fun,” Nick said carefully. “Thank you for the offer,” he said with more sincerity.

To Duncan’s surprise, Nick asked him to put his contact information in the new phone, as well.

“What other numbers do you think I’ll need?” Nick said.

Connor gestured with his hand and Nick relinquished the phone again. Nick let Connor fuss with his phone while he got back to work on analyzing Helen’s appearances and what he had learned about her motivations in an attempt to figure out when and where she might show up next.

Connor shifted on his feet when he gave the phone back to Nick.

“What?”

“Full disclosure,” Connor said. “I also loaded an anti-virus on the phone, as well as tracking software,” he added quickly.

“What for?” Nick said, wondering if it had been an order from Claudia.

“In case Helen shows up and tries to kidnap you, or something,” Connor said.

“Do you really think . . . ?” Nick began hotly, but then the heat cooled quickly. “Forget I said that. Does Stephen’s phone have this tracking software, too?”

Connor looked guilty. “Yes.”

“Does Stephen know?”

“Not exactly,” Connor said. “I don’t use it to spy on him, or anything!”

“What about you and Abby?”

“What about Abby and me?” Connor said, a flush pinking up his cheeks.

“Do your phones have this tracking thing on it?”

“Oh, yes,” Connor said with relief.

“And someone besides you knows how to use it?”

“Duncan,” Connor said. “I could teach you.”

Nick spent the rest of the morning learning how to use the tracking software.

~*~

“That’s overkill, don’t you think?” Stephen said when Nick told him later.

“That was my first reaction,” Nick said, “but when it comes to Helen, it’s better to be prepared for all eventualities.”

“Speaking of prepared,” Stephen said. He got up from the couch where they’d eaten Indian take away while watching the news, and went to retrieve a small brown paper bag.

“What is this?” Nick said, taking the bag Stephen held out to him.

Before Nick could explore the contents, Stephen straddled his lap and kissed him. Nick’s fingers crumpled the bag, his other hand clenching on Stephen’s thigh. Heat pooled low in his belly as Stephen coaxed his lips open, little sparks shooting through him when their tongues met, sliding against one another.

They were both breathing hard when Stephen released Nick’s mouth. He didn’t pull back though, and his breath feathered warm across Nick’s skin as their stubbled cheeks scraped together.

“There’s going to come a day,” Nick said slowly as he caught his breath. “When I’m not able to respond this quickly. I just want you to know that it’ll be me, not you.”

“Feeling old, Nick?” Stephen teased. “You do realize you’re only four years older than me.”

“Feels like more,” Nick said.

Stephen slid a hand between them and cupped Nick through his trousers. “Good thing that day isn’t today,” he said.

“Why’s that?”

Stephen took the hand still twisted in the paper bag and urged Nick to shake it out. Condoms and lube fell onto the couch cushion. “Because I want you to fuck me,” Stephen said, his voice low and rough.

Nick’s prick pulsed and he groaned. “You can’t just say things like that, Stephen.”

“Would it help if I told you I was really tight?” Stephen said as he slipped off Nick’s lap and reached for his hand.

“No,” Nick growled.

Stephen hadn’t lied – he was tight, but he opened up around Nick’s finger like the sweetest flower.

“You’ve done this before, right?” Stephen said impatiently when Nick continued to work a single digit in and out of his ass.

Nick braced a hand beside Stephen’s head and leaned over him so his lips were close to Stephen’s ear. “No,” Nick said. He crooked his finger and found Stephen’s prostate. He brushed his finger over the nub, then again, watched Stephen’s body jolt with each zing of pleasure.

“Tell me again what that was?” Nick said sweetly.

“Fuck you, Cutter,” Stephen rasped. “I just want you to fuck me sometime today.”

Nick hadn’t said anything at the speed with which Stephen divested them both of their clothing, or when he climbed onto the bed and lay on his stomach, one leg drawn up as he presented himself to Nick. Now he said, “And I want to take my time, Stephen. I want to know every sound you make. I want you trembling and desperate.”

Nick hadn’t known it until he spoke the words. He teased Stephen’s hole with the tips of two fingers, then pressed back in with just the one.

Stephen shivered and moaned Nick’s name into the pillow on that long slow slide. A couple more, and then Nick added more slick and pressed in with two fingers. Stephen’s body opened easily to Nick’s fingers, but he groaned, fingers scrabbling at the comforter as Nick filled him.

It was getting more difficult for Nick to maintain the slow pace he’d set. Each noise that escaped Stephen’s throat, the dampness rising on his skin, an arrested move of his hips as he tried to draw Nick’s fingers deeper, was like kindling to an already stoked fire.

Nick grazed his fingers over the sensitive nub and the muscles in Stephen’s legs trembled. Another touch had Stephen moving against the mattress. Nick let him for a few moments, then said, “Uh uh, Stephen, save that for me,” as he withdrew his fingers and pulled Stephen up onto his knees.

“Are you finally going to . . . !” Stephen’s voice had an edge to it that made Nick’s insides quiver.

Three fingers stole Stephen’s breath. His groan was half-complaint, all pleasure. “Nick, I need . . . ,” Stephen breathed even as he pushed back, fucking himself on Nick’s fingers.

“I know what you need, Stephen,” Nick said. He touched Stephen inside, slowly stroked his fingers in and out of him a few times, then touched him again. Nick kept up the relentlessly steady pace even though Stephen begged with both body and voice for more.

When Nick finally withdrew his fingers, Stephen made a sound that was nearly a sob. “Finally,” he panted.

“If you can still talk, you’re not desperate enough,” Nick said, though he didn’t stop what he was doing. He opened the foil packet and rolled on the condom, then slicked the length of him, careful not to give his prick too much attention because he’d maybe drawn this out too long, though he’d never admit it to Stephen.

Stephen reached back and grabbed Nick’s leg when he positioned himself behind him, guided the head of his prick to Stephen’s hole, and pressed in. “Let me know if it’s too much,” Nick said, his voice strained from the effort of not just pushing inside Stephen.

“It’s not enough!” Stephen moaned.

“That’s not something any man wants to hear,” Nick said wryly.

Stephen huffed out a laugh. “I meant . . .”

Nick never heard what Stephen meant, because the short burst of laughter opened Stephen up and Nick lost control of his controlled entry. They both groaned when Nick completed the slide and was fully seated inside Stephen.

“Laughter really is the best medicine,” Stephen said on a huff of said laughter.

“Shut up, Stephen,” Nick said as he tried to recover his own breath, stolen at the sensation of being enveloped completely by Stephen’s tight heat.

Nick pushed himself upright and tightened his hold on Stephen’s hips. He pulled out, the slow slide torturous, then pushed back in again.

“Come on, Cutter!” Stephen complained.

“If you call me ‘Professor’ in bed . . . ,” Nick said.

Stephen gave another huff of laughter, but Nick was prepared for it this time. He continued to move slowly, not disabusing Stephen of the notion that it was to draw out the pleasure when in fact Nick was afraid that if he moved any faster it would be over almost immediately.

A few more thrusts were all Nick could manage before his own body betrayed him. He sped up, slamming harder, deeper into Stephen. The sounds of his own body slapping against Stephen’s and the moans issuing from Stephen’s throat spurred Nick on. Stephen quieted and went taut beneath Nick for a long moment before his body went suddenly pliant.

Nick dragged Stephen back onto his prick even as he thrust into him. Stephen was open and so malleable right now and Nick was lost to the sensations swirling through him and filling him up. With one final thrust Nick’s body stiffened and waves of pleasure broke over him.

When Nick opened his eyes he was lying on the bed, Stephen propped up on an elbow beside him. “Why do you look so smug?”

Stephen smiled and brushed his lips across Nick’s. “Because I feel like I just won EuroMillions.”

Nick snorted. “If anyone’s won the lottery here it’s me. Set For Life,” he added.

Laughter burst out of Stephen and Nick smiled at the sound of it. Laughter really was the best medicine.

~*~*~*~

The next few weeks were generally quiet and Nick settled more deeply into his new role on the team and his new life with Stephen. Nick was surprised to realize that there was more to learn about Stephen, and not just the things he liked in bed. They watched movies and ate take-away and talked more than they ever had.

One night Stephen gave Nick a look.

“What is it, Stephen?”

“You were never much of a talker.”

Nick had been one for one-word answers when a grunt wouldn’t do, though Stephen had always seemed to understand him anyway. But when Nick had lost Stephen, first to Helen, then to death, he’d come to the realization that there were things he’d wished he’d done differently. The first being not pushing Stephen away so he was vulnerable to Helen’s manipulations.

Nick took Stephen’s hand. “After . . . there were so many things I wished I could change.” He studied Stephen’s fingers, then raised his eyes to Stephen’s face. “Talking to you, learning everything about you, 

was the least of them.”

“Well, in that case, my favorite color is green . . .”

“Don’t be a prat, Stephen,” Nick said without any heat.

“If you want me to stop talking you’re going to have to shut me up.”

So Nick did.

~*~

Nick discovered the joys of not being team leader included having more free time, so he continued to work on the time line with Connor – when he wasn’t busy working on the anomaly opening device, and another special project, with Duncan. Nick visited Abby in her lab and helped her and her assistants, who’d gotten used to Nick popping in and no longer looked like he was there to snatch a creature and run.

The four of them met for breakfast several times a week, shared lunch in the cafeteria when they were all available, and had the occasional dinner out. They were to continue the tradition of hanging out one Saturday a month and Stephen had slotted Nick into the rotation so that it was his turn to pick an activity. The date was coming up and Nick still hadn’t chosen anything.

“You’re making it more complicated than it is,” Abby said one day at breakfast.

“Connor set the bar pretty high,” Nick said. “I don’t know how I’m going to out-do the Alien Museum.”

Connor preened. “It’s not a competition, Cutter. Nick,” he amended.

~*~

“So,” Abby said one day while they were cleaning out a holding pen. “You and Stephen.”

Nick swore when he managed to jam the handle of the shovel into his stomach. “What?”

Abby’s only reply was a raised eyebrow.

“What about me and Stephen?” Nick tried again.

Abby chuckled and shook her head. “It’s okay. We can pretend I never mentioned it.”

Nick sighed. “Is it that obvious?”

“Nah,” Abby said. “You only moon over him like a love sick cow.”

Nick gave an outraged squawk. “I do no such thing!”

“You do,” Abby said. “But it’s cute.”

“It doesn’t sound cute.”

“You mostly do it when it’s just the four of us, and we’ve known you for a while, so . . .”

“What do you mean _mostly_!”

“I wasn’t . . . I don’t think anyone else has noticed,” Abby said quickly.

“What are you talking about?”

“The last meeting,” Abby said.

They’d met with Claudia, Lester, and Matt Anderson’s team to go over everything they knew about Helen after the scare of thinking she might have come through the anomaly that opened briefly in the Forest of Dean.

“What about it?”

“Stephen said something . . .”

Nick recalled; it had been particularly insightful.

“. . . and you were all . . .” Abby placed her hands under her chin. “. . . my boyfriend is so smart, sigh.”

Nick’s cheeks heated. “I bloody well was not.”

“Wasn’t what?” Connor said, startling both Nick and Abby.

“Oh, nothing . . . ,” Nick began.

“The last meeting,” Abby said, “when Stephen said the thing?”

“Ohhh,” Connor said, nodding. “And Cutter, Nick, was all heart eyes?”

“Yes!”

“Jesus,” Nick said.

Later that night Nick said to Stephen, “Apparently I’m being a bit obvious about . . . us.”

“Is this about the meeting?”

Nick’s jaw dropped and Stephen grinned.

“Are you fucking with me, Stephen?”

“Not yet. Just let me finish reading this report . . .”

Nick wondered who the hell he’d become when he yanked the report out of Stephen’s hands and growled, “You can finish reading it in the morning.”

~*~

There had been half a dozen anomalies in the past few weeks, including one in Scotland and one in Wales. There had been no sightings of Helen in the past few weeks and no indication that she’d come through any of the recent anomalies, so they’d gotten a bit complacent.

Which is why no one was expecting it when Helen stepped through the anomaly that had opened outside King’s Lynn.

Becker’s special forces team was guarding the anomaly while Stephen checked for signs that a creature had come through. Becker grabbed Stephen and hauled him back as the soldiers raised their tranquilizer rifles as one.

Helen’s gaze found Stephen and she smiled. “Hello, Stephen.”

“Helen,” Stephen said, not bothering to hide the vitriol in his tone.

“What the he-eck,” Connor hissed from next to Nick where they, along with Abby, were working to set up Spot for his trip through the anomaly.

Nick placed a restraining hand on Connor’s arm. “I think now would be a good time to try out your new gadget.”

“It has a name, Cutter,” Connor said as he switched course and pulled out the device he and Duncan had been working on.

“Are you still holding a grudge because I told Nick about us?” Helen was saying when Nick tuned back in.

“At my signal,” Nick said, then stood. “Actually,” Nick said as he moved away from Connor and Abby to give them time to work without Helen taking notice. “Stephen and I should be thanking you.”

Nick had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the shocked expression on Helen’s face when she saw him. Or maybe it was the notion that he’d ever thank her for anything.

“Nick,” Helen bit out.

“In the flesh.”

Nick stepped up to where Stephen stood a couple feet behind the ring the soldiers had made around the anomaly. Becker stood at Stephen’s left, so Nick stepped up to Stephen’s right, so he was flanked by two people who cared about him and could offer him their strength. Nick hated to think that the last time Stephen had dealt with Helen was when he’d lost other-Nick.

Helen narrowed her eyes. “Thank me for what, exactly?”

Nick and Stephen shared a look and conducted a silent conversation. Nick placed a hand on Stephen’s arm and squeezed before turning his attention back to Helen. It was almost satisfying to see her annoyance at not being the center of attention. “Without your machinations, Stephen and I might never have realized what we meant to each other.”

It took a moment for the penny to drop. Nick watched Helen’s face as her mind worked to parse his comment. He saw the moment Helen got it – an expression of disgust crossed her face and was quickly hidden. Nick didn’t know if her reaction was because Nick and Stephen were two men in a relationship, or because they’d be of no further use to her if she couldn’t come between them.

“How is it that you’re even alive?” Helen said.

“What?” Nick said. “What are you talking about? What did you do, Helen?”

While Helen was off-balance, wondering if she’d somehow stepped into the wrong time or place, Nick signaled to Connor.

Helen recovered quickly. “Well, it’s been fun, but I’ve got to go now.” Helen took a step backward. Instead of disappearing back through the anomaly she remained on this side of it. “What . . . ?”

Helen turned to look. The shimmering shards of glass had collapsed into each other and Nick couldn’t help staring at them. Luckily Becker kept his wits about him and he had Helen in cuffs before she could pull the gun she carried strapped to her leg with a strange ease.

“Looks like the universe has other plans for you,” Nick said.

Helen glared at Nick as Becker led her away.

“Search her _thoroughly_,” Stephen called after Becker.

Connor and Abby came running up to Nick and Stephen. They were both grinning.

Connor bounced and raised both fists in the air. “It worked!”

Abby punched Nick in the arm. “Congratulations.”

“Ow!” Nick rubbed the spot.

Stephen gave Nick a look, but let out a grunt of pain when Abby punched him, too. Stephen didn’t rub the area, but Nick could tell he really wanted to.

“Why are you congratulating them?” Connor said.

“Because they just admitted to the world, well, to the special forces team and Helen, which is pretty much the world, that they’re together,” Abby explained.

“Oh, yes, congratulations,” Connor said. He threw out both hands towards the locked anomaly. “But can we talk about this?”

~*~

The team got the okay from the ARC to continue with their exploration of the anomaly, which was doubly important now that Helen had come through from the other side. They had to wait for a second special forces team to come retrieve Helen because Claudia refused to transport her to the ARC with anything less than a full complement of soldiers.

Becker stood Helen facing the SUV and frisked her, then called over Lt. Mickle to do a more thorough job. When they’d finished the task, there was a small pile of weapons and future tech lying on the hood. Nick watched as Stephen carefully studied each item before handing the tech to Connor. Stephen placed everything into a bag to be more closely examined at later time.

Helen watched them over her shoulder with a smirk that Nick would desperately have liked to knock off her face. He dragged his gaze away from Helen and his eyes moved over her bound hands, then back.

“What’s that?” Nick pointed.

“Her wedding ring,” Becker said, with no indication how he felt about the fact that Nick had once been married to Helen.

“Helen didn’t wear her wedding ring before she disappeared,” Nick said, “she wouldn’t be wearing it now.”

Nick had a better understanding of the saying ‘if looks could kill’ as Becker removed the ring from Helen’s finger. Becker looked it over and pointed out the mechanism that would open to reveal a poisoned needle or some other delivery system.

“What is she, James Bond now?” Connor said.

Becker stepped away from the SUV where Helen was being held at gunpoint by half of the special forces team, the other half continuing to watch the anomaly. “She might have other weapons like that ring hidden on her person, but we won’t know until we can get her back to the ARC and do a more thorough search.”

Nick knew that Becker meant a strip search. The thought gave him the heebie jeebies, but Helen was inventive. “She waited until we got here to come through the anomaly,” Nick said, stating out loud the thought that had been niggling at the back of his mind. “It’s possible, even probably, that she wanted us to find her. Even take her back to the ARC.” The only thing that had thrown her was seeing Nick alive.

“You think she’s up to something?” Becker said.

“The only thing you can be sure of with Helen is that she’s up to something,” Stephen said. “You just never know what.”

Becker made another call back to the ARC, then joined the men guarding Helen. Connor and Abby took readings of the locked anomaly and sent the data back to Duncan. To have something to do (and to keep their minds off Helen and why she’d appeared now), Nick and Stephen went through their packs to make sure they had everything they’d need when they passed through the anomaly. Because of Helen’s presence they added more water and more ammunition. Helen coming through this anomaly had them both on edge. Nick and Stephen watched Connor finish up with the rover, though they had to wait until Helen had been removed from the scene before they could unlock the anomaly.

Finally the special forces team arrived. Nick, Stephen, Connor and Abby stood watching them secure Helen for transport. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief when she’d been moved off-site, but Nick couldn’t shed himself of the sense of dread her mere presence evoked.

At Becker’s signal Connor unlocked the anomaly and sent Spot through. They all waited more anxiously than usual to see what was on the other side. They waited ten long minutes, but there was no sign of any creatures or humans who might be assisting Helen.

Becker gave them the okay to explore the other side. He stepped through with two of the soldiers, then Nick and Stephen followed. The soldiers spread out slowly. Nick looked around at the terrain, but saw no immediate signs of human presence, much less habitation.

Stephen squatted and studied the ground.

“What is it, Stephen?” Nick said.

Stephen pointed, and Nick squatted beside him to get a better look. “Footprints,” Stephen said. “They begin there and end here.” He pointed to another spot. “It looks like someone rested there.”

“Waiting for us to arrive,” Nick said. He studied the area. “Why don’t the footprints go farther?”

Nick and Stephen shared a look at the horrible realization.

“Helen didn’t start here,” Stephen said.

“Smart,” Nick said. Helen had always been too smart for her own good. “We won’t find her home base here.”

“You know what else it means,” Stephen said.

Nick sighed. “Helen can open anomalies.” Because of course she could. She’d opened one to this time, then to theirs. And she’d waited for them to arrive.

Nick and Stephen explained their theory to Becker. He frowned as he studied the area in front of the anomaly. “We’ll keep an eye out anyway.”

Becker left the two soldiers to guard their side of the anomaly and he accompanied Nick and Stephen as they explored the area. They collected samples of plant life and dirt, found some pieces of sun-bleached bone, and took photos of footprints. From a distance they could see the shimmer of water and the long neck of a Brachiosaurus as it munched on leaves.

Nick would normally have argued that they had enough time to move closer, but he didn’t say a word when Stephen said they’d gotten enough samples. Nick and Stephen exchanged a look and Nick could see they were both distracted by what might be happening with Helen back at the ARC.

“Congratulations,” Becker said before they reached the anomaly. He gestured between Nick and Stephen when Nick gave him a questioning look.

“Oh,” Nick said. “Thank you?”

“I hear congratulations might be in order for you, too,” Stephen said.

Becker tripped, but quickly recovered. “What?”

~*~*~*~

Nick stood in the observation room and watched Helen through the one-way glass. Stephen had already briefed Claudia on the mission and was standing at Nick’s shoulder. Neither of them had showered and changed out of their uniforms, yet.

Helen was alone inside the interrogation room. She’d been left to stew until Claudia could be briefed by Stephen and Becker on what they’d found on the other side of the anomaly.

“What did we see in her, Stephen?” Nick said. He didn’t know if he was talking about the men they’d been before the anomalies, or the men she’d manipulated after. Maybe it was both.

“Her intensity could be very gratifying, until it became . . .” Stephen gestured towards the Helen who’d traveled the anomalies for over ten years now.

“Madness?” Nick said.

Helen raised her head and stared at the mirror as if she knew they, or someone, was observing. The clothes she’s been wearing had been taken to be given a thorough going over, but even in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt she didn’t appear the slightest bit cowed.

“What the hell is she up to?” Nick said. He nearly jumped in surprise when the door to the interrogation room opened and Claudia strode in. Becker entered behind her and stood in front of the closed door. His arms were loose at his sides, but Nick had learned that mean he was ready for anything.

A moment later the door to the observation room opened to admit Lester. Nick moved to stand behind Stephen in order to give Lester room. Lester gave them a look and took the spot Nick had vacated.

“What are you doing here, Helen?” Claudia said. She leaned back in her chair as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Claudia hadn’t brought anything into the room with her, not even a pad and pen, probably so they didn’t give Helen anything she could use as a weapon.

“I’ve already told you,” Helen said. “Multiple times. Or would that be, multiple yous? I’m trying to save the world from an extinction-level event. I’ve seen the future, and you really don’t want that to happen.”

“Neither one of you is having the sudden urge to help her, are you?” Lester said.

“I think you’re forgetting that we lost our respective counterparts to Helen’s manipulations,” Nick said.

“I haven’t forgotten,” Lester said. “I just don’t know what kind of hold she has on you two.”

“If she ever had a hold on us in particular, I’d like to think we’ve broken it,” Stephen said.

Nick squeezed Stephen’s shoulder and left his hand there. Stephen remained straight-backed, but the muscles relaxed under Nick’s touch.

“I hope you’re right,” Lester said.

Just then the door opened again and Matt slipped into the room. He ignored Lester’s, “We should start charging admission,” and took a spot behind them. Matt nodded to Nick and Stephen, then turned his attention to the interrogation room.

While they were talking Claudia had asked Helen why, if she wanted to save the world, she didn’t work with the ARC to do so.

“Bureaucracy,” Helen said now. “And the fact that the ARC answers to the Home Office, which is more concerned with keeping the anomalies a secret than looking at the larger picture.”

“Why don’t you try us? Try me,” Claudia said.

Helen gave Claudia a long look. “Alright,” she finally said.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Nick said.

Helen’s gaze rose once more to the glass. “But first I want to talk to Nick.”

“Why does she want to talk to you?” Lester said, at the same time that Claudia asked Helen the same question.

“Possibly to shove a metaphorical knife into my gut and twist it,” Nick said.

“Do you want to speak with her?” Lester said.

“No.” Helen’s words were like little blades and he’d come out of there with tiny cuts that bled out slowly. Plus he was a little bit afraid that she’d say something that would force Nick to work with her, as Stephen had done in his time, and as this world’s Nick had done. He swallowed hard and admitted, “She scares me.”

“Good,” Lester said, tilting his head towards the door. “Don’t get complacent around her.”

“You want me to . . . ?”

“We need answers, so let her believe she’s in control.”

“She’s not?” Stephen said, his tone showing he had the same concerns as Nick.

Nick squeezed Stephen’s shoulder again and gave Matt a look before stepping into the hall. A moment later Claudia stepped out of the interrogation room. She didn’t look surprised to see Nick.

“I know this is going to be hard for you,” Claudia said.

When Nick recovered from his surprise, he said, “No harder than it was for you.”

They shared an understanding look.

“Give it a few minutes before you go in,” Claudia said. “We don’t want her to think we’re in a hurry to give her what she wants.”

Claudia entered the observation room and the silence in the hallway grew. “She’s up to something,” Nick finally said, if only to break it.

“It’s Helen,” Becker said. “Was that ever in doubt?”

Nick huffed a laugh. “You’ve met her, I take it.”

“Yes,” Becker said, no hint of humor in his tone.

“Were you here when I . . . ?”

Becker didn’t make Nick finish the question. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry. For everything the other me did.”

“It wasn’t you,” Becker said.

“Still,” Nick said. “One version of me did, so there must be something inside me that . . .” He’d never admitted that fear out loud to anyone outside doctor-patient confidentiality.

“But _you_ didn’t,” Becker said. “And Stephen didn’t. So there must also be something inside you that can resist Helen’s b.s.”

Nick hummed. “I like your way of looking at it better.”

“Good.” Becker clapped Nick’s shoulder. “Ready?”

Nick straightened his shoulders and nodded. He’d face Helen and beat her at her own game because he had a lot riding on it. With Stephen in his thoughts, Nick followed Becker into the interrogation room.

~*~*~*~

Nick rewound the recording so he could rewatch the clip of Helen saying, “I think this is the one, Nick. The time that set’s everything right.”

“She’s lying,” Stephen said.

“I’d bet that she was lying every time she opened her mouth,” Lester said, “but why do you say that specifically?”

“Helen has a tell,” Nick and Stephen said at the same time. They gave each other a look, simultaneously pleased and sheepish that they both knew so much about Helen. Nick nodded for Stephen to go ahead.

Stephen pointed at the screen. “The thumb tap. She doesn’t even know she’s doing it.”

Nick rewound again and let the others rewatch with that knowledge.

“Also,” Nick said when he paused the replay. “Helen was surprised to see me when she showed up, and in there she acted as if she knew all along.”

“We gave her plenty of time to rework her cover story,” Claudia said, tapping her fist on the top of her desk.

“Helen is clever,” Stephen said. “She would’ve come up with a new story to fit whatever circumstances she found herself in no matter how much, or how little, time she had.”

“Why did she want to speak with you?” Lester said to Nick.

“Probably wanted to see if she could manipulate me in this time. She’s already dismissed Claudia as being someone who’d fall for her lies. I bet she tries Stephen next.”

Just then Claudia’s phone rang. She spoke to the person on the other end for a few seconds, then hung up the handset and stood. “Connor’s found something.”

Nick and Stephen followed Claudia and Lester, Becker and Matt bringing up the rear. When they reached Connor’s lab, Duncan and Abby were already there.

“So,” Connor said when everyone was gathered around the lab table where everything they’d taken off of Helen was laid out. “Helen came through with a surprising number of weapons if this was a ‘peaceful’ visit. Which we ignored at first because the tech was obviously more interesting, uh, important. Especially this.”

Connor picked up a device that resembled the AOD he and Duncan had used to rescue Becker and his soldiers. “A fully-functioning Anomaly Opening Device that has a memory.”

“So we can see where Helen’s been!” Duncan said.

“Er, yes,” Connor said, giving Duncan a look for stealing his thunder. “As long as she didn’t foresee this exact thing and jump around a bit to mislead us or wipe it.”

Connor waved his hand over the other two pieces of tech. “These two items don’t have any power. I think they were included to keep us busy trying to figure out what they did.”

“So we wouldn’t discover what Helen is really doing here,” Claudia said.

“Yes,” Connor said. “Specifically, so we wouldn’t notice this.”

Connor ran a reader over one of the knives Helen had hidden on her person and it beeped. “It went off just before I called you,” Connor said. “After we made sure it wasn’t a bomb or anything like that.”

“So what is it?” Lester demanded.

Connor took a breath to answer, but Duncan beat him to it, blurting, “It’s a transmitter!”

Connor gave Duncan an exasperated look, but confirmed, “Yes, it’s a transmitter.”

“Of course she wouldn’t come here alone,” Claudia said. “Can you track the signal to the receiver?”

“That’s just it,” Connor said. “It’s not being received by anything.”

“Why would Helen carry a transmitter that doesn’t have a corresponding receiver?” Matt said.

Just then the anomaly detector went off. The alarm shut off almost immediately.

“What was that?” Claudia said.

Connors fingers raced over the keyboard. “An anomaly opened near Weymouth. It was open for 6.4 seconds before it closed again.”

“Long enough for someone to come through?” Nick said.

Connor looked up from the screen. “Yes.”

“Duncan,” Stephen said.

Duncan took some readings off the transmitter. “The signal is being received now.”

“Where?” Claudia said.

Duncan hit some keys on the laptop and confirmed their fears. “Weymouth.”

“Are King’s Lynn and Weymouth on the same ley line?” Nick said.

Each of them was on pins and needles as they awaited Connor’s answer. When he glanced up from the screen Nick already knew the answer. And everyone in the room knew what it meant.

“Helen’s back-up has arrived,” Abby said. “Are they coming here?”

“Yes,” Becker said. When everyone turned to look at him, Becker continued. “This is where the transmitter is. Even if coming here wasn’t part of their original plan, they’ll come here now because this is where Helen is.”

“Also,” Nick said, “Helen could’ve come through that anomaly at any time before she arrived. Instead she waited.”

“She wanted us to catch her,” Stephen added.

“She knew we’d bring her back here,” Becker said.

“There’s something here she wants,” Claudia said.

“What did I, the other-me, try to steal?” Nick said.

“A piece of future tech,” Claudia said. “We haven’t been able to figure out what it does yet.”

“Can I see it? A photo of it,” Nick clarified when he got a bunch of suspicious looks.

Claudia gave a nod and Connor pulled up a photo from when they’d signed the tech in. With a wave of Connor’s hand the photo appeared on the large screen. Nick’s knees went weak and he would’ve stumbled if Stephen hadn’t been there to steady him.

“You recognize it?” Claudia said.

“It’s a piece of cloning technology we discovered in the future.”

“Cloning tech?” Abby repeated.

“Cool,” Connor and Duncan said.

“What would she want with cloning tech?” Claudia said.

Nick and Stephen shared a look, but it was Becker who said, “Create her own army of obedient clones who could infiltrate any ARC.”

“Good lord,” Lester said, staring at the screen with a horrified expression.

Duncan glanced at the laptop screen. “Two and a half hours and moving fast. They either stole a car or called an Uber.”

“Captain Becker,” Claudia said, “we need to move Helen Cutter to a secure location.”

“No,” Nick said. “I mean, yes,” he said at the look Claudia gave him, “but whoever her accomplice is, they’re not here for Helen.”

Claudia’s gaze followed Nick’s. “They’re making another play for the cloning tech?”

Becker swore. “She didn’t try to hide the transmitter on herself, like under her skin. She put it in a weapon she knew we’d remove from her person.”

“And keep together with the other tech,” Connor said.

“Leading her right to the cloning tech,” Abby said.

“When is this going to happen?” Lester said.

“Tonight,” Stephen said.

“Just before change of shift at midnight when the security team is feeling complacent,” Becker added.

“Well,” Claudia said. “Let’s see if we can have a surprise waiting for whoever shows up.”

~*~

Nick sat in the lab, waiting. They’d considered moving the transmitter to a more secure location, but were stayed by the uncertainty of whether Helen, and, by extension, her accomplice, were aware of the layout of the ARC thanks to other-Nick.

Nick couldn’t hear anything through the closed door, but thanks to Stephen’s voice in his ear Nick knew someone was outside the door, currently hacking the keycard lock. Security had let her enter the ARC using a cloned (heh) keycard and then locked down the building behind her. If she decided to run, she wouldn’t get far. Nick took a breath as the door opened and let it out slowly. The figure stepped into the room and blinked against the lights that came on automatically when she tripped the motion sensor.

She froze when she caught sight of Nick. “Nick?” She tried to recover. “I mean, what are you doing here, Nick?”

Nick slowly stood. He set the knife/transmitter back onto the table. “I think the real question is, what are you doing here, Claudia?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Claudia said, trying to bluster her way through. “I work here, I have every right to be here. Maybe I should ask what you’re doing in the lab this late?”

“Why are you helping Helen?” Nick said.

“I’m not _helping_ Helen,” Claudia spat. “I’m using her,” she said smugly.

“Are you? Or is Helen using you?”

“Maybe we’re using each other,” Claudia said. “As long as I get what I want, I don’t care what she does.”

“You used to care.”

“Yeah, well, things change.”

“You lost someone to the anomalies,” Nick guessed.

“_Someone_? I lost you!”

Nick stood stunned. “Wha–?”

“You went through the anomaly with Helen and you . . . just never came back.”

“But I did,” Nick insisted. “Only . . . you weren’t there.”

“Nick? I thought Helen kept you. I spent years looking for her . . . you.”

Nick shook his head in an attempt to make sense of what Claudia was saying.

“She insisted you hadn’t stayed with her, but told me there was a way to get you back.”

“By cloning me?”

“At least I’d have you back,” Claudia said.

“What did Lester say? Stephen?”

“They didn’t understand!”

Nick was afraid that they’d understood all too well. “You can’t trust Helen.”

“I don’t trust her. I told you, I’m using her. But I don’t have to deal with her anymore because you’re here. We can leave together.”

There was a madness in Claudia’s eyes that filled Nick with guilt. “I’m sorry, Claudia, I can’t leave,” Nick said..

“Why not?”

“I care, cared, a great deal for you, Claudia, but I have a life here now.”

“We could be happy again,” Claudia said. “I know it.”

“I’m sorry . . .”

“You don’t get to just forget about me! Not after everything I did to find you.”

Nick’s blood turned to ice. “What did you do, Claudia?”

“I had to. They tried to stop me.”

“No,” Nick said. He thought about the Stephen he’d left behind, and the Stephen he’d abandoned to Helen . . . How many of Stephens’ deaths was he responsible for?”

“You’re coming back with me,” Claudia said. “You’ll forget about whatever life you’ve built here.”

Nick slowly raised his hands. While he’d been distracted Claudia had pulled a gun. “Claudia, you don’t want to do this.”

“Don’t worry,” Claudia said. “It’s just a tranq– . . .“ Claudia’s crazily earnest expression turned to one of confusion and she fell to the floor.

“So’s this one,” Becker said to her unconscious form. He kicked the tranq gun away from Claudia’s fingers and glared at Nick. “Were you going to give the signal before she shot you and dragged you away?”

“Sorry,” Nick said. His hands were shaking and his knees weak. “Something she said . . .”

Becker gave Nick an understanding nod.

Claudia, surrounded by a special forces team, stepped into the lab. She stared at her doppleganger lying on the floor as if she still couldn’t believe what she was seeing, even though she’d been watching the footage from the security office.

“Well,” Claudia said, glancing at Nick and quickly looking away. “This is awkward.”

Claudia started giving orders to Becker and his team. Nick didn’t hear them because Stephen had appeared in the doorway. Nick held out a hand and said Stephen’s name in a soft moan. Stephen slipped past the soldiers. He took Nick’s hand and put his other arm around Nick’s shoulders.

“It’s alright,” Stephen said.

Nick slumped against Stephen. He closed his eyes and pressed his face into Stephen’s shoulder. “What have I done?”

“You didn’t do anything,” Stephen said sharply, then more gently, “None of this is your fault.”

Maybe not the first time because Nick had no idea what had happened, but the second time he knew he’d left people behind and he just didn’t care because he had Stephen back.

Claudia cleared her throat.

Nick pulled away from Stephen, but kept hold of his hand. Claudia stood to the side of where the other Claudia had fallen. Her unconscious body had been removed and only one soldier remained as an escort. She stood at the doorway and stared straight ahead as if she wasn’t paying them the slightest bit of attention.

“You two should go home and get some rest,” Claudia said. “I don’t want to see you at all tomorrow. Technically, later today.”

“But . . . ,” Nick said.

“Neither one of you are going to be involved in this interrogation. Take the time off. That’s an order.” Claudia turned away, stopped at the door. “If I see either of you in less than thirty hours I’ll suspend your team from anomaly missions. Connor and Abby won’t thank you for it, nor will Matt Anderson’s team.”

“She’s right,” Stephen said after Claudia left.

“I know,” Nick said. They needed time to process everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, and they were too close to it to be effective interrogators. “But I don’t have to like it.”

~*~*~*~

Nick let Stephen lead him out of the ARC and to the SUV. They passed people, mostly soldiers, and Stephen spoke to them, but Nick didn’t even acknowledge them. The ride home was made in silence, Nick clutching Stephen’s hand when he didn’t need it to shift gears.

Stephen settled Nick onto the couch and said something about getting them something to drink. Nick didn’t know how long he sat there staring at nothing before Stephen returned and placed a warm mug in his hands. It wasn’t the scotch Nick had been expecting, but he only stared in bemusement at the mini-marshmallows bobbing on top for a moment before taking a sip of the hot cocoa.

The hit of sugar revived Nick a little bit. He sighed, leaning into the back of the couch. “I feel so guilty for leaving them behind.”

“Do you want to return?” Stephen said, his tone too even.

“No, Stephen, not in the least!” Nick switched the mug into one hand so he could reach for Stephen with the other. Stephen squeezed Nick’s hand as tightly as Nick squeezed his.

“I was miserable there. I don’t want to go back.” Nick huffed a humorless laugh. “And that makes me feel even more guilty.”

“Maybe we can at least let them know you’re alright,” Stephen said.

“How?”

“We’ve got Helen’s AOD,” Stephen said. “She’s been to your time, maybe the coordinates, or whatever, are still in the memory.”

“Oh my god, Stephen, you’re brilliant!” Nick gave Stephen a kiss that sloshed the cocoa onto Nick’s hand.

Stephen, laughing, grabbed some tissues and wiped at Nick’s hand, blotted the spot on his slacks.

Nick’s mind raced. “If we can make contact with this other time, we might even be able to share information. About Helen in particular, but the anomalies in general.” Nick stopped blathering when he saw the expression on Stephen’s face. “What is it, Stephen?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of a message in a bottle.”

Nick laughed again. He felt giddy. “We don’t have to go. We could send Matt Anderson and his team.”

“You’re not too shabby in the brilliance department yourself,” Stephen said. “We’ll mention it to Connor tomorrow.”

“Stephen Hart, are you going to disobey a direct order?”

Stephen raised an eyebrow. “There are these things called telephones, Cutter. Perhaps you’ve heard of them.”

“No one likes a wise ass, Stephen.”

“You seem to.”

“More and more everyday,” Nick admitted.

Stephen brushed a kiss across Nick’s lips. “Sap.” He stood and reached for Nick’s hand. “Let’s go to bed.”

Nick set the mug on the coffee table and stood. “I don’t think I could sleep a wink, Stephen.” But he didn’t recall anything after laying his head on the pillow.

~*~

As it turned out they didn’t need to call Connor the next day because Connor came to them. Nick and Stephen were still in bed, though not sleeping, when a knock came at the door. They waited to see if whoever it was would go again, but a second, louder knock came. Stephen gave Nick a hard kiss, then pulled on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt to go answer the door.

Nick hurriedly pulled on his slacks from yesterday, ignoring the chocolate stain on the leg, and a t-shirt in case it was someone from the ARC with bad news. Nick was still surprised that he’d managed to get a good night’s sleep with Helen on this side of the anomaly and the knowledge of how his disappearance had so terribly messed up Claudia Brown.

Nick appeared in the hallway in time to see Connor breeze into the flat past Stephen. Abby followed more sedately with a combination exasperated - slash - what can you do expression on her face. She also held two bakery bags and a drink carrier.

The sight of them reminded Nick of his guilt over leaving his own Connor and Abby behind. Twice.

“Claudia called us and told us not to come in today,” Connor was saying. “So we came over here to see if you guys knew what was going on.”

Connor squawked when Nick caught him in a hug. He awkwardly patted Nick’s back. “What happened? Did someone die?”

“No.” Nick released Connor. “I just wanted to make sure you both know how much I care about you.”

Stephen took the bags and drinks from Abby. He gave Nick a soft look as he carried them into the kitchen. Abby was ready for the hug and returned it.

“We care about you, too,” Abby assured Nick. “Don’t we, Connor?”

“Yes, sure, loads,” Connor said. “I still feel like this is weird, though.”

“Something did happen, Connor, but no one died. I just realized that maybe my . . . other you and Abby might not have known how much I cared about you. So I wanted to make sure you two did.”

“We do,” Abby said, giving Connor a look.

“Yeah, of course.” Connor patted Nick’s arm and followed Stephen into the kitchen.

After ham, cheese and tomato toasties and coffee, Nick and Stephen told Connor and Abby what had happened last night when Helen’s accomplice showed up, and laid out their idea for contacting other times.

“Do you think you can do it?” Nick said.

“You don’t want me to figure this out so you can go back, do you?”

“Why does everyone . . . ? No, Connor, I don’t want to go back.” Nick looked at Stephen. “I’m very happy here.”

The admission was worth it to see the blush that crawled up Stephen’s neck. Connor was grinning when Nick turned back to face him. His grin only widened when Nick tried to glare at him.

“I’d have to okay it with Claudia, but I don’t see why we can’t figure out how to do it if Helen didn’t wipe it from the memory of her AOD.”

“You’re not going to like them better, are you?” Abby said.

Nick didn’t bother asking who she meant. “I know it’s not fair, but my feelings for them are wrapped up in everything that happened with Stephen in my time. I don’t know how you’re all able to be so . . . forgiving towards me after the things other-me did.”

“Clearly we’re nicer people than you are,” Connor said as he stole the last muffin.

“Clearly,” Nick said.

~*~

Abby and Connor left to take advantage of their unexpected day off. Stephen bagged up the detritus of breakfast and tossed it into the trash. Nick watched, the _want_ growing in his belly.

Stephen gave Nick a questioning look when he turned and saw Nick staring.

Nick crossed the small space and took Stephen’s hands in his. “Stephen, you asked me once why I’d been able to forgive Helen, but not you.”

Stephen ducked his head. “I shouldn’t have . . .”

“No, you absolutely should have. You have every right to know. Honestly, at first I didn’t know myself. Not until . . . Well, not until I realized that my feelings for you weren’t purely platonic.”

Saying the words out loud were worth the small smile that crossed Stephen’s face.

“Helen’s betrayal didn’t hurt as much because I didn’t care about her. Not like a husband cares about his wife. Not like I once did. But you . . . Learning that you’d slept with Helen was devastating to me for reasons I didn’t understand then. I used anger to mask the hurt because, well, because I did care about you. I don’t know if I loved you then, if I would have ever figured it out in that time, but I do love you, Stephen. And I don’t ever want to lose you again.”

Stephen’s eyes shone. “I never thought I’d hear you say that,” he said. “Especially after . . . If it wasn’t already clear, I love you, too, Nick. And I don’t ever want to lose you again, either.”

“Then you won’t,” Nick said, making an impossible promise.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Stephen said.

Nick smiled. His heart felt light, and he was happier than he could ever remember being. He touched his lips to Stephen’s. Gently at first, then more firmly. Stephen opened to him, pressed their bodies together. Hands slipped under clothing, and Nick forgot about everything except for the man right there with him. The man he was going to spend the rest of his life with in this time, and any other.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> [](https://imgur.com/xk8Hwlm)


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